LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer reacts after the game against the Indiana Pacers at Intuit Dome.
Image Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Steve Ballmer accepting the NBA's punishment does not mean the Kawhi Leonard trade to the Toronto Raptors is any closer to the finish line, according to fresh reporting out of the league's Board of Governors meetings.
The Clippers still have not decided who will serve as the franchise's interim governor, even as the NBA convenes its Board of Governors meetings in New York City. Ballmer will skip the gathering entirely while formally accepting his suspension and the other penalties levied against the organization, which include a $30 million fine and the forfeiture of five first-round draft picks tied to the league's salary-cap circumvention investigation.
I would not read Steve Ballmer accepting the NBA’s investigation findings and penalties as any indicator the trade of Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors will be completed imminently.
Still sounds like the Clippers’ aren’t quite ready to get back on the phone with Toronto, even… https://t.co/jqPhr9n522
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) September 14, 2026
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The lack of clarity matters because Ballmer, banned from all league and team activities for a year, is required to hand decision-making power to a designated stand-in before the Clippers can fully operate at the ownership level.
Despite Ballmer's compliance with the league's findings, the insider cautions against reading that as a signal the Leonard trade is nearing completion. The Clippers reportedly still aren't ready to reengage with the Raptors on the agreed-upon deal, even though the league office has made clear it doesn't need an interim governor in place to process the paperwork.
The NBA would process the trade call regardless of the Clippers' leadership vacancy, meaning the holdup isn't coming from the league office. That leaves the delay squarely on the Clippers' internal restructuring, with president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank and president of business operations Gillian Zucker also sidelined by suspensions.
Toronto has already signaled patience, but with training camps approaching, the pressure on Los Angeles to finalize an interim leadership structure, and finally reconnect with the Raptors, is only growing.