By admin 
The NBA’s punishment of the Los Angeles Clippers has definitely put their owner, Steve Ballmer, in a tricky position. Ballmer has built a reputation for being one of the most involved figures in the building, but he will now have to stay away from the franchise for an entire season.
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After a year-long investigation, the NBA fined the Clippers a record $30 million and took away their five consecutive first-round picks from 2029 through 2033. Ballmer got suspended for one year, while executives Lawrence Frank got a six-month suspension and business operations president Gillian Zucker was banned for one year.
The conclusion was that Ballmer and his executives helped create additional off-court financial opportunities for Kawhi Leonard, and those benefits effectively circumvented the league’s salary cap restrictions.
Moreover, on the Crossover podcast, former Miami Heat star Tim Hardaway shared why he believes the suspension itself could be the part that Ballmer struggles with most.
“I tell Steve Ballmer, just take your hit and move on,” Hardaway
.
Will Ballmer struggle to stay away from the Clippers game?
The five-time NBA All-Star further explained why the Clippers’ owner is finding it hard to accept the restriction placed on him. Hardaway was not suggesting that the $30 million fine was insignificant for the $155 billion-worth Ballmer, per Forbes.
But he pointed to the fact that Ballmer will not be allowed to attend Clippers games or remain involved with the team during the suspension.
“It’s not the $30 million – it’s the suspension. He can’t go to no games. He can’t be involved with the team,” Hardaway added. “And the bad thing is, I guarantee you he get spotted at the arena, he going to be peeking over someone. Somebody going to catch him. I’m telling you, man, because he loves the game and he wants to be there.”
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That could surely be the most difficult part for Ballmer throughout the 2026-27 season, as he has been a regular presence at Clippers games since purchasing the franchise. The suspension has banned him from attending games and practices, participating in front-office meetings, attending the NBA Draft or appearing at event such as the All-Star Game.
But can the league keep Ballmer outside the brand-new $2 billion Intuit Dome?
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Ballmer can enter Intuit Dome, but not for Clippers basketball
Reports suggest that the NBA can restrict Ballmer from participating in basketball-related activities, but it doesn’t have the same authority over every event held inside the arena. The former Microsoft CEO personally owns Intuit Dome, which means the league cannot legally prevent him from entering the building.
Technically, he can still attend concerts, private functions, and other non-NBA events. Even though the franchise recently disputed both the investigation and the investigation’s conclusions, it seems Ballmer has chosen to accept the NBA’s penalties for salary cap circumvention.
Before, the team also claimed that there was a difference between what the NBA told the Clippers privately and what it later announced publicly. In fact, they suggested that the league failed to meet the standards of fairness and accuracy, but it looks like they are ready to call it a day, and move on.
Related: “Was it all worth it?” – Patrick Beverley questions the Clippers risking everything for Kawhi Leonard
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This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 11:45 PM.