One of the NBA’s punishments for the LA Clippers' cap circumvention involving Kawhi Leonard was a one-year suspension of Steve Ballmer from all basketball activities related to the team and league. This means one of the most energetic owners in the association, who is an icon for Clippers fans all over the world, will have to appoint someone to take his spot for the duration of the period he’s forced to step away from the game.
So, who does Ballmer look to? John Gibson, a lawyer based in Los Angeles, California. This is confusing to some, yet the reasoning is simple: one of the top executives on the Clippers couldn’t be appointed, as Lawrence Frank and Gillian Zucker are also suspended, and on top of that, Gibson has ties to LA’s organization from the change in ownership in 2014 and is a highly credible legal mind who can help the team amid the five-year monitoring program they’re in.
When you take everything into account, Gibson seems to be an excellent choice Ballmer made weeks after his consequences were announced.
It makes complete sense why Steve Ballmer chose John Gibson for the time being
Among the several candidates to be the interim governor and CEO of the LA Clippers for a year, Steve Ballmer needed a familiar face. John Gibson checks off that box better than almost anyone.
In 2014, Ballmer purchased the Clippers’ organization for $2 billion. Before it officially went through, though, the process was long, and Gibson played a major role. He was a litigation partner at DLA Piper and ultimately the lead trial counsel for LA’s party.
Long story short, Gibson helped Ballmer make a jaw-dropping investment.
This was likely one reason Gibson had the edge over other options, but beyond that, Gibson’s reputation as a lawyer helps tremendously. How so? The Clippers are currently under a monitoring and compliance program managed by the league for the next five years, and having someone who specializes in law is definitely a good sign to Adam Silver.
And, of course, it’s not like Ballmer could choose Lawrence Frank or Gillian Zucker to step in, as they are currently suspended too. Frank’s is only six months without pay, while Zucker’s is the full year.
That said, Ballmer did right by selecting Gibson as the man for the job. He has the qualities needed for the role, and there's no doubt he will put the Clippers in a position to succeed.
