LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is accepting the NBA's punishments of the franchise for salary cap circumvention, he announced in a statement Sunday night.
"This has been a very difficult time for everybody associated with the Clippers, and for that, I have sincere regrets," the statement read. "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."
The NBA announced earlier this month a list of severe punishments for the Clippers, including the loss of five future first-round draft picks, a fine of $30 million and a yearlong suspension for Ballmer for violating salary cap circumvention rules in a case involving star Kawhi Leonard.
The punishments came down after nearly a yearlong investigation into the franchise that "found a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations by the Clippers organization, a prior offender of the salary cap circumvention rules."
Ballmer and the Clippers initially pushed back hard on the investigation's findings, with the team saying it would challenge the league "through every avenue available to us." Ballmer's lawyer called the probe a "witch hunt" and the subsequent penalties a "gross injustice" in a letter to NBA commissioner Adam Silver. In the months leading up to the investigation's conclusion, the Clippers had remained adamant that they had done nothing wrong and expected to be exonerated.
In his statement Sunday, Ballmer said that though "there are still disagreements concerning the findings in the report," he did not want it to remain a distraction.
"Team owners should support, not distract," Ballmer said in the statement. "The challenges ahead of us are significant, but so is our resolve. We will continue to build our team and invest in our community. The confidence of our fans is our priority. With our talented roster, outstanding staff and clear vision, I am certain that we will compete at the highest level and be an organization our fans can be proud of."
The statement comes one day before the start of the NBA's board of governors meetings in New York and on the heels of a reported federal investigation into the team's alleged cap circumvention.
The Clippers will be forfeiting first-round draft picks in 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033, per the league's punishment. Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, wasn't suspended but must pay the league $700,000.
