Clippers owner Steve Ballmer sits courtside before the game against the Mavericks at Intuit Dome
Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Clippers‘ salary cap circumvention scandal has already destroyed the franchise on the court, in the league office, and its reputation. But several prominent NBA insiders are now speaking about how ugly things were behind the scenes when reporters tried to ask questions.
Tim MacMahon, Brian Windhorst, Zach Lowe, and Chris Mannix have all spoken publicly about how the front office responded when the investigation was ongoing, with accusations ranging from denial to damaged relationships and, in some cases, outright lying.
Tim MacMahon: “I honestly thought everything that’s come out of the Clippers’ mouth since this started has been extremely flimsy, and it keeps getting less and less believable.”
Brian Windhorst: “Man, I gotta tell you, man. I said this to you. Again, I keep referring to this podcast we did after Daktronics. I had friends swear to me that this was bunk. I’ve talked to Clippers people too who lied to my face.”
Zach Lowe: “Kirk, I’m sure you can attest to this too. Like, on other bases, this is not news. They’ve been adamant that they did nothing wrong. I’ve had relationships sort of sour, if not splinter entirely, simply by asking questions.
“They were so offended that anyone would even impugn them with questions. And I was like, ‘OK, I mean, I guess that’s how it’s going to be.’ They’ve been adamant, adamant, adamant, adamant.
“And this report is, you know, maybe some of them didn’t know all these texts and emails were in here. But, like, that adamance, if that’s even a word, I would expect something from them. But, I mean, I said last week.”
Chris Mannix: “Looking forward to not hearing anything from some Clippers people that, you know, just—there was a lot, there was a lot going on.
“Rachel, I think Jon Krawczynski had a good tweet about this during the day. He said something to that—I want to pull it up, actually. He said something to the effect of the campaign behind the scenes, I think, that was going on. I want to pull it up. I do want to read it to the audience right here.
“John Krawczynski from The Athletic says, quote, ‘One thing that stands out to me: The Clips, both publicly and behind the scenes, launched a ferocious defense that was accusatory to anyone who dared question them. Today’s punishment is severe on its own, but it’s also a very bad look for these spinsters in the house.’
“I would just say, Jon, I wholeheartedly agree with that take.”
Quotes from Brian Windhorst, Tim MacMahon, Zach Lowe, Chris Mannix, and Jon Krawczynski describing how Clippers acted and lied personally to the media during the investigation. Krawczynski: It was a “behind the scenes, ferocious defense that was accusatory to anyone who dared… pic.twitter.com/aCNfK3a82M
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) September 7, 2026
n the ESPN Hoop Collective podcast, MacMahon said the Clippers’ explanation had become increasingly difficult to accept. Windhorst went even further as he made a remarkable accusation against the Clippers.
Zach Lowe also described a similar dynamic on The Zach Lowe Show, where he said that just by asking questions, his relationships with Clippers sources would deteriorate.
Lowe’s point was not simply that the Clippers were denying any wrongdoing. He said it is not new for teams under investigation to defend themselves. What stood out was the intensity of the response toward the people who challenged that defense.
Chris Mannix highlighted the same issue when discussing a report from The Athletic’s John Krawczynski.
Krawczynski wrote that the Clippers had both publicly and privately mounted a very ferocious defense that became accusatory toward anyone who questioned them. Mannix said he wholeheartedly agreed with that assessment.
This is what makes it matter, because these are not inexperienced reporters chasing rumors. These are veteran reporters who have covered the NBA for decades and have built deep relationships across the league and regularly deal with front offices, agents, players, and executives.
For several of them to independently describe the same kind of hostility from Clippers sources is very notable.
The NBA eventually hit the Clippers with several penalties following its investigation, including a $30 million fine and the loss of five first-round picks. Owner Steve Ballmer and team executives were also suspended, while Kawhi Leonard was ordered to pay $700,000 in restitution, and his uncle and former agent Dennis Robertson was banned from NBA business.
The Clippers have continued to dispute the league’s findings, and they maintain their innocence.
But the damage to their credibility might already be very significant.
If reporters felt that they were being misled by the organization, which aggressively tried to attack anyone who questioned their version of events, rebuilding trust with the media could take longer than simply serving suspensions or paying fines.
The legal and basketball consequences might be one problem, but the credibility problem is another one entirely.