The Los Angeles Clippers are still dealing with the fallout from the NBA’s decision in the Kawhi Leonard salary-cap circumvention scandal.
While the penalties have significantly impacted the franchise’s long-term outlook, LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, has shared his thoughts on how the Clippers can move forward.
Rich Paul Shares Message for Clippers After Historic NBA Punishment
On the latest episode of the “Game Over” podcast, Max Kellerman asked Paul how the Clippers are supposed to remain competitive after receiving such significant penalties from the league. It was a fair question given the severity of the punishment.
“This has been going on forever,” Kellerman said. “People look at ways of circumventing the rules for a competitive advantage. And so what I’m saying, Rich, is it is against the rules. If it’s caught, it needs to be punished. But five firsts? It doesn’t fit the crime… What do you do if you’re the Clippers now? How do they stay competitive?”
Paul was careful with his answer, noting that he represents several Clippers players. However, he offered a simple message on how the organization should approach the challenge ahead.
Paul claimed the focus now should be on continuing to move forward despite the setback, claiming that he believes the Clippers can still be competitive.
“You got to put your head down and keep marching,” he said. “You got to play… I don’t know. I mean, it’s a touchy subject for me. Obviously, I have several clients on the team, so I just think you just got to put your head down and keep pushing,” Paul said.
Max Kellerman posed the question bluntly: “How does the NBA expect the Clippers to be competitive?” 😳
Rich Paul gave his verdict from an agent’s perspective, while Draymond Green raised the question every NBA fan is asking right now:
“What happens to all those 5 first-round… pic.twitter.com/2Gvg0qqgeK
— THE PAINT NBA (@ThePaintNBA) September 7, 2026
That may sound simple, but the challenge facing the Clippers is anything but simple.
The Clippers have lost their first-round selections in five straight future drafts, from 2029 through 2033. The team was also hit with a $30 million fine.
Owner Steve Ballmer was suspended from all NBA and team activities for one year after the league determined that he knowingly helped create off-court earning opportunities for Leonard that violated the league’s salary cap rules.
Further, Clippers president of business operations Gillian Zucker received a one-year suspension without pay, while president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was suspended for six months. Leonard was not suspended, but fined $700,000.
While Kellerman questioned whether the punishment fit the violation, the NBA has previously handed out severe draft-related penalties in salary-cap cases.
Back in 2000, the Minnesota Timberwolves were punished after the league found that the team had a secret agreement with Joe Smith that violated salary cap rules. Minnesota originally lost five first-round picks and was fined $3.5 million.
Smith’s contracts were voided, his Bird rights were revoked, and both owner Glen Taylor and executive Kevin McHale received suspensions. The NBA later restored two of the forfeited draft picks.
For now, Paul believes the Clippers’ only option is to keep moving forward. Whether the franchise can remain a contender without the draft capital it surrendered will be one of the NBA’s biggest questions in the years ahead.
