LAS VEGAS — On Tuesday, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer settled into a courtside seat at the Thomas & Mack Center. Alongside president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank and head coach Tyronn Lue, Ballmer was all smiles as he watched L.A.’s Summer League team take on the Lakers. At the same time, up on the concourse level, NBA commissioner Adam Silver was addressing the franchise’s future.
As the investigation into allegations that the Clippers circumvented the salary cap to pay Kawhi Leonard moves toward its 11th month, the situation has gotten messier. Last month, Los Angeles and Toronto agreed to a trade that would send Leonard back to the Raptors. Fears that an NBA punishment could trickle down to Leonard have stopped the trade from becoming official.
