Clippers still not ready to complete Kawhi Leonard trade despite Ballmer reversal

Steve Ballmer has surrendered his fight against the NBA. That apparently does not mean the Clippers are ready to finish their Kawhi Leonard trade with the Raptors.

Jake Fischer of The Stein Line cautioned that Ballmer’s decision to accept the league’s findings and penalties should not be viewed as an indication that the long-delayed deal will be completed imminently.

According to Fischer, the Clippers still do not appear ready to get back on the phone with Toronto. That is despite Marc Stein previously reporting that the NBA is prepared to process the trade whenever the two teams submit it for approval.

The Clippers also have not determined who will serve as their interim governor, Fischer reported. Ballmer will not attend the NBA’s Board of Governors meetings in New York while beginning his one-year suspension.

That vacancy should not prevent the trade from being processed, however. Fischer noted that the league office would conduct the trade call without an interim governor in place.

In other words, this is no longer about league approval or finding someone with the authority to sign off. The Clippers simply are not ready to proceed.

Leonard, Brandon Ingram and everything else involved have been stuck in limbo since Los Angeles and Toronto reached their agreement in June. The Raptors reportedly remain prepared to complete it in its original form.

Ballmer announced Sunday that the Clippers had paid their $30 million fine and would not pursue legal action against the NBA.

One Clippers saga has ended. The other continues because, for reasons known only in Los Angeles, nobody has placed the call.