Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is accepting the punishment the NBA levied against him and his team after the league concluded its investigation into alleged cap circumvention.
The Clippers posted a statement from Ballmer at 11 p.m. ET on Sunday, saying he was looking to move past the incident and put the focus back on his team.
“This has been a very difficult time for everybody associated with the Clippers, and for that, I have sincere regrets. I want to apologize to our fans, employees, and my fellow NBA team owners for the distraction and distress this matter has caused, for which I accept responsibility as principal owner.
“We are committing to put this chapter behind us. We have communicated to the NBA that we are complying with the penalties assessed by the league, have paid the fine, and are moving forward. While there are still disagreements concerning the findings in the report, this is not where I want to focus. Team owners should support, not distract.”
A statement from Steve Ballmer. pic.twitter.com/YvhdXA8dQf
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) September 14, 2026
The move is right for Ballmer, but it also marks a significant shift from his earlier comments on the matter.
The NBA’s investigation first began after Pablo Torre reported on the alleged cap circumvention last summer. Ballmer went on a media blitz shortly after that reporting and denied any wrongdoing.
When the NBA handed down its punishment last week, Ballmer initially doubled down on his defense, with the team calling the investigation a “witch hunt” and promising to challenge the league’s punishment “through every avenue available to us.”
Ballmer’s retreat to accepting the league’s punishment comes after a federal investigation was opened into the Clippers’ alleged cap circumvention following the conclusion of the NBA’s investigation.
On Monday, the Clippers took real steps toward moving past the incident, successfully trading Kawhi Leonard back to the Toronto Raptors in a long-planned deal delayed by the league’s investigation.
Ballmer and his team can try to close the book on this chapter as much as they want, but it won’t be truly behind them until they are back to regularly having a pick in the first round of the draft. As things stand, that will happen in 2034.
About Tyler Lauletta
Tyler is a editorial contributor at Awful Announcing, with previous stops at Sports Illustrated and Business Insider during his career covering sports in digital media. He is, begrudgingly, a Truster of the Process and general Philly sports sicko.