The Los Angeles Clippers took the court at the Intuit Dome on Wednesday without one of their biggest fans cheering them on. That would be team owner Steve Ballmer, who has been suspended for violating NBA salary cap rules all season.
Ballmer was unable to attend the game, which the Clippers won 121-96 over the Sacramento Kings, in person, but he was there in spirit. After the game, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue opened his presser, dedicating the win to Ballmer.
“First of all, that was a win for Mr. Ballmer,” Luke said. “I just want to say thank you for everything, and we’re still fighting for it.”
Ballmer was suspended as part of the NBA’s investigation into Kawhi Leonard’s signing. The team and owner have been accused of paying Leonard additional money through “non-show jobs” as a way to circumvent the NBA’s salary cap.
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The league launched an investigation into the situation after journalist Pablo Torre revealed the plot on his podcast. After months of investigation, the NBA came down heavily on Ballmer and the Clippers, giving the team five first-round draft picks, charging Ballmer $30 million and suspending him for a year. As part of the suspension, Ballmer was banned “from all league and team activities for one year.”
Lue wasn’t the only member of the Clippers to pay tribute to Ballmer after his capture. Darius Garland, who led the Clippers with 30 points, said Ballmer “definitely in the spirit here.”
After an eventful offseason, one in which Leonard was traded away by the team, the Clippers have lowered their expectations for this season. If Wednesday is any indication, though, Ballmer’s team will use the situation as a motivational technique throughout the year.
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Because of this, it is likely that the narrative will eventually go away. If the Clippers can exceed expectations and make a run, the name Ballmer bet continues to be invoked all season.