NEW YORK — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wanted to impose a significant punishment on the Los Angeles Clippers for circumventing salary cap rules, even while understanding the impact it will have on fans hoping to see a winning team.
Forfeiting five first-round draft picks might make it difficult for the Clippers to deliver one.
“I don’t think in any way we’ve done permanent damage to this franchise. No question, this is a setback for the team,” Silver said Tuesday. “The ultimate goal in terms of these type of sanctions is to ensure that other teams don’t engage in this type of behavior in the future.”
He added that he has “no inkling” any other teams are doing it now.
Silver's news conference following the NBA's two-day Board of Governors meeting included his first remarks after the Clippers were found to have circumvented salary cap rules on Kawhi Leonard's behalf — something the team vehemently denied during a yearlong investigation. The NBA hit the Clippers earlier this month with massive penalties as a result of that probe, suspending owner Steve Ballmer for one year, fining the team $30 million and forcing it to forfeit draft picks, among other sanctions.
Silver said he relied on precedent in his ruling, pointing to how the Minnesota Timberwolves were once docked five picks for cap circumvention. In this case, he said the penalty had to go beyond suspensions and financial consequences.
“That has to go directly to competition,” he said.
“I think that’s in some ways the most difficult part of adjudicating these disputes,” Silver added, “because while there have to be competitive consequences, our view, if these rules are violated, we still want to be a 30-team league. We recognize that in some ways we’re unfortunately punishing the fans of that team as well. That’s the balance we’re trying to seek.”
Ballmer said this weekend that he would accept the penalties and that the fine had been paid. His statement did not admit any guilt on the part of the franchise — which Silver assumed could be because there are other investigations into the Clippers that don't involve the NBA.
“Aside from that, I appreciate the fact that he has stood down, that he did apologize and is accepting responsibility," Silver said. “Our plan is to move forward. Every reason to believe that at the end-of-the-year period he’ll return to be an owner in good standing.”
The Clippers were not represented at the board meeting, Silver said, since the team remains in the process of finding an interim governor.
The trade sending Leonard back to Toronto was finally completed Monday.
Expansion update
Silver said the owners focused more on Las Vegas than Seattle when discussing potential expansion to 32 teams, because there are more unknowns when it comes to the Las Vegas bids.
A team could play in the existing T-Mobile Arena with some modifications, but there also is the possibility of putting a new team in an arena — or, this being Las Vegas, something closer to a total entertainment center — that would be built.
“Therefore, it’s a much longer timeline before we can throw the ball up for NBA basketball,” Silver said. “On the other hand, in Seattle, we have had operational groups out to Climate Pledge. You clearly have a state-of-the-art arena there. May require some modifications for NBA basketball. If we were opening in five weeks, we could be ready in Seattle.”
He said the next round of bids would be coming in shortly, after previously saying a decision on how to proceed would be made before the end of the year.
Portland's prospects
Silver said he hopes and believes an arena agreement will be reached that will ensure the Trail Blazers remain in Portland.
New Blazers owner Tom Dundon has previously said he would commit to a 20-year lease that would keep the team in Portland if the state, city and county agree to fund the renovation of the Moda Center, the oldest arena in the NBA that hasn’t been upgraded.
“I would see it as a failure if we did not keep the team in Portland,” Silver said. “I’ve spent a lot of time in that community over the years. They’ve shown amazing support for the Trail Blazers. They’re some of our best fans around the league.
“At the same time — now I speak for our WNBA team in the market as well — we need a state-of-the-art arena. I think by any objective measure now, the current building there is in the bottom measure of any arena in the league.”
The state already has pledged $365 million toward the deal, provided Portland contributes $120 million and Multnomah County also provides funds. Negotiations have become contentious and Silver said he hoped “that we can lower the temperature honestly a bit.”
New WNBA boss
With WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert planning to retire at the end the year, Silver said the NBA is interviewing search firms as it seeks a successor.
“We’ve heard from several potential candidates. We’ve heard from others who are recommending candidates,” Silver said. “We’re keeping that list right now at the office. Again, we will move forward on that process.”
He added there will continue to be a balance of how much of a role the NBA has in overseeing the league that turned 30 this year. Engelbert was the first person who held the title of commissioner of the WNBA.
“I felt that was more than symbolism. Under Cathy, we fairly significantly increased the portion of our office who is solely focused on WNBA,” Silver said. “I would say on issues particularly around basketball and player issues, I believe those people should be independent of the NBA and should be under the direct control of the WNBA commissioner.”
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