Steve Ballmer is done fighting the NBA—and now he's saying sorry. The Clippers owner issued a lengthy statement late Sunday accepting league penalties for salary-cap violations tied to improper payments benefiting star Kawhi Leonard, reports the Los Angeles Times:
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"This has been a very difficult time for everybody associated with the Clippers, and for that, I have sincere regrets," said Ballmer in the statement. "I want to apologize to our fans, employees, and my fellow NBA team owners for the distraction and distress this matter has caused, for which I accept responsibility as principal owner."
The Athletic calls Ballmer's move "a stunning turnaround" for a man who had denounced the "witch hunt" and said he'd fight it. The NBA hit the team with a $30 million fine, stripped five first-round picks from 2029-33, and barred Ballmer from league activities for a year. President of business operations Gillian Zucker was suspended without pay for a year, while president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was suspended without pay for six months, for arranging or approving off-the-books deals that included $66 million in cash and equity funneled to Leonard through outside companies. Ballmer said the team has paid the fine and will not contest the sanctions, calling it time "to put this chapter behind us." The decision clears the way for Leonard's stalled trade to the Raptors to proceed.
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