Ballmer’s couch cushions are gonna be a little less fluffy

Take a floor of toilets from them. Hit them where it hurts

I’ll see it to believe it 

For those that didn’t watch/listen to the podcast or the clip, he prefaced this with “Now I have no idea if this is true.” He’s completely guessing from rumors he’s heard.

A lot of these podcast guys like Bill Simmons and Kawamiki truly have no source into the inner workings of possibly the biggest NBA investigation in history. Even Pablo Torre, the guy who triggered this whole thing, said in this last episode that he doesn’t know who they’re talking to, what they’re asking, or what the progress on the investigation is.

I doubt the lesser sources would have insight into the scale of a potential punishment of a still ongoing investigation.

Sure Frank….

I’ll believe it when I see it. Fine I can see for sure. Number doesn’t matter to Balmer. 3 first round picks? Highly doubt it.

If it’s only money and not picks then that’s the league saying “this is the cost of doing business with star players ”. I hope for more than a fine but only time will tell.

lol no chance. 5 mil and no picks is more likely than that

I remember the TWolves losing five first round picks for doing something similar with Joe Smith. The league later dropped it to three first round picks. So there is similar precedent

Kawhi needs a massive suspension

should have to void the contract

$30M is not a lot of money to Ballmer at all.

Why are we pussyfooting around? Make him sell the team. If this isn’t worth that kind of punishment, what is?

Ill believe it when I see it. 

30 million is nothing to Ballmer. What will hurt is loss of things he can’t control over such as draft compensation, loss cap space, and firings of people that were involved.

Doubt it, 3 frps bring too much attention to this.

People who just watch basketball and don’t engage in other NBA content are not aware of this scandal

“3 picks?! Doug kick him off the tour.”

Isnt this similar to the Joe Smith situation?

I’m surprised by the amount of people being so dismissive of pick penalties

NBA so mad at the Clippers they gonna take two first round picks from the Wolves.

People saying 30 million wouldn’t be a lot need some perspective. The largest fine ever given currently is 10 million. The largest team fine is 3.5 million

What FRPs? They already don’t have any

Anyone else think the Claw is playing lights out because he knows his season is going to end early and wants to increase his leverage moving forward in future deals?

There should be an option for the clips to only lose 1 frp if Steve sells the team.

Have fun winning a title with no picks for 7 years.

Ballmer’s net worth is $129 billion. So fining him 0.02% of his net worth, that’ll show him!!!

Void the contract and say Kawhi can only accept vet min if he wants to keep playing

Whack all parties as hard as possible. This whole situation is the kind of thing that if teams and players see the benefits still outweigh the risks they’re just going to consider it a cost of doing business.

You can only take so many picks before it does more damage to the league than the team so make the fine apocalyptic. Then ban Kawhi for at least a year. Debar the agent from working with the NBA too.

“More than 30 million” is nothing to a billionaire!

30 million for ballmer? ez biz decision

30 million is literally nothing to Balmer

Not enough honestly

$30m is not that much, but three firsts would be pretty significant if true

Ballmer won’t care about $ penalties. Only way to teach him a lesson is to cripple the Clippers.

3 first rounders sounds about right. So that’s 2030, 31 and 32?

Also should ban Kawhi going forward for a period equal to how long he and Dennis have been pulling this. So about a decade.

This would be as shocking as it is deserving.

Stars are aligning for a Kawhi suspension to be the most damning move, he has played like a man who knows his time is limited

Can they take this years FRP before we find out if it’s the Clips or Pacers pick?

The picks they owe Philadelphia and OKC are now void. 2030 is the next pick of theirs that isn’t traded or got a swap attached. So this would have to be way out there.

3 firsts seems crazy unless they’re like 2030, 2040 and 2050. lol

Make them actually go plant a shit ton of trees all across the country!

More than $30 million on their cap sheet for multiple years right? He cant be talking about just a fine

If you do this and suspend Kawhi (without pay) and Ballmer for a season each, then I feel that is fair enough punishment. But I’ll have to see it to believe it.

Also ban Balmer from attending games for 5 years, that’ll hurt him more than the $30 million will

i guarantee everyone screaming for a harsh penalty here would be saying the opposite if it was their team

I’m expecting a fine that’s large by NBA disciplinary standards but small in the grand scheme for Ballmer, and I’m expecting Uncle Dennis to be barred from the league in all capacities. If it goes beyond that, I’ll be shocked.

In a just world, Ballmer would be penalized a 9 figure sum, Kawhi would be banned from the league, and at least a couple of the characters involved here would be in jail. We don’t live in that world, though.

Honestly, 3 first-round picks is more than I thought, especially since they basically have none. Should still be like 5, though.

The three first round picks go to the Thunder.

Money means nothing to Balmer. This is ridiculous. He cheated. If and when a player cheats (see Paul George right now) he gets banned for a certain amount of time. This needs to be a part of punishment for ownership and nothing less. Didn’t that happen with Sterling and other owners back in the day? 

I’ll be surprised if they take 3 firsts, I bet it’ll be 2 and a “massive” fine that’s pennies for ballmer

That shits a rounding error for balmer.

Just an absolute random guess. This guy knows nothing. 

Any off those picks or cash going to the raptors?

Straight cash isn’t anything. You need to lower the apron level on them for seasons to get somewhere.

That being said, it’s still smart to get everything in order before announcing penalties.

Kawhi should be suspended.

Finally something

Take that $30M out of their capspace for the next 5 years.

I haven’t thought about it but, who owns Intuit Dome? Is it Ballmer or the Clippers org? If Ballmer gets pissed off enough to sell the team, do the Clippers have to play in a now-hostile environment at home, seeing as it would be owned by somebody with a bone to pick?

Imagine Ballmer sells the team then raises operation costs to recoup his losses, I wouldn’t put it past a guy who flagrantly flaunted the rules multiple times over his current tenure.

And this guy is super trustworthy never said anything that turned out to be untrue before

Just go ahead and cancel the Pacers 2026 being in that trade and we can call it even.

The wall street special

Even if it’s 3 1st round picks and 30 million it’s not nearly enough. Bake got traded for 4 1st round picks and Kwhaii is a better player. So at worst it’s a good deal on a trade and at best they get away Scott free.

This is going to be a real test of people’s sources. We are going to hear a lot of rumored penalties. We’ll see who really has the inside scoop.

Won’t need 3 firsts if they keep balling like this with the new youth acquisitions and Kawhi playing like an MVP

There’s no chance they get docked 3 1st’s. The money makes sense but they need Ballmer to hold off the Saudi money.

This must be false because r/NBA already told me there would be zero repercussions

2 of those first rounders are going to the Toronto Raptors!

Balmer paid for an investigation that is not even mentioning him when talking to witnesses.

Why would that give anyone confidence that this investigation is going to find the Clippers liable in this case? Are people just leaking these rumors in an attempt to influence an investigation that they already know is crooked?

How about no first round picks lost… but they receive a $100 million fine plus they can never have a second round draft pick again?

The punishment should AT MINIMUM match what Minnesota got hit with for their Joe Smith cap circumvention scheme back in the 2000s: 3 1st round picks forfeited, ownership and GM suspensions, voiding the player’s contract and bird rights, and the massive fine.