Michael Rand: Wolves history offers a warning about what the Clippers could face after losing five first-round picks

Michael Rand, Star Tribune on Sep 2, 2026

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MINNEAPOLIS — The NBA put the hammer down on the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, docking them five first-round picks, handing out multiple suspensions and fining the team $30 million for what it deemed salary cap circumvention involving star Kawhi Leonard and off-court income.

“I am deeply disappointed by the flagrant violations of our rules and by the Clippers’ institutional and leadership failures that led to this misconduct,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.

“The severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations.”

There wasn’t a Timberwolves fan of a certain age who didn’t immediately think of Joe Smith.

This is almost the exact playbook the league and then-commissioner David Stern used in 2000 when they found the Wolves had circumvented the salary cap by planning to sign Smith to a series of below-market deals before giving him a big payday down the road.

Then-owner Glen Taylor (who also owns the Star Tribune) and GM Kevin McHale were forced to stay away from the team for months. The organization was fined $3.5 million.

But the biggest blow was the loss of five first-round draft picks. Like the Clippers, who had every pick from 2029-2033 wiped out by the NBA’s punishment, the Wolves were docked five first-rounders between 2001 and 2005.

Though the 2003 and 2005 picks were later restored, the damage to the organization was undeniable. They made the playoffs in each of the next few seasons and reached the conference finals in 2004, but their supply of young talent dried up.

When an aging roster fell short of expectations in 2005, it started a streak of 13 straight years without a playoff bid.

Numerous rebuilds were included in that stretch, including a trade of franchise icon Kevin Garnett in 2007.

The Clippers have had a winning record in each of the past 15 seasons, including 12 playoff berths. Their owner, Steve Ballmer, was suspended for a year; president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank will be out for six months; and team president of business operations Gillian Zucker was suspended for one year. Leonard, who now plays for the Toronto Raptors, was fined $700,000.

‘’We vehemently reject the NBA’s findings, which are the result of a heavily biased investigation seeking to justify a predetermined narrative rather than facts and evidence,’’ the team said in a statement, adding they “will now fight just as hard to demonstrate our innocence. We intend to vigorously challenge these findings and penalties through every avenue available to us and look forward to an ethical and impartial arbitration process.’’