Steve Ballmer got suspended by the NBA because of a podcast and a jumbotron corruption scandal

The NBA suspended Steve Ballmer for one year after an investigation found the Clippers were tied to a questionable $28 million endorsement deal for Kawhi Leonard. The team will also lose five future draft picks and pay a $30 million fine after a report disputed Ballmer’s prior denial of involvement.

The penalties signal the NBA is willing to treat alleged salary-cap circumvention as a major governance issue, even when it involves one of the league’s wealthiest owners. The case also shows how off-court media scrutiny, including podcasts and arena-related reporting, can trigger formal investigations with franchise-level consequences.