Sports Express | September 4, 2026 NBA's Historic Clippers Penalty Clears Kawhi Leonard's Raptors Return

1. NBA's Historic Clippers Penalty Clears Kawhi Leonard's Raptors Return

Source: The Globe and Mail

On Wednesday (Sept. 3), the NBA announced sweeping penalties against the Los Angeles Clippers. Kawhi Leonard's uncle and former business manager Dennis Robertson was banned from engaging with any team, player or employee for five years over his role in the team's salary-cap circumvention. The sanctions also stripped the Clippers of five first-round draft picks and a $30 million fine, while owner Steve Ballmer was suspended from league activities for one year for "knowingly seeking to help Mr. Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities."

According to the law firm's report, when Leonard hit free agency after the Raptors' 2019 title, the Raptors, Lakers and Clippers all received prohibited requests from Robertson — including team equity, housing, private transportation and endorsement income. Raptors ownership said no, willing to make Leonard wealthy but not to break the rules, while the league's richest owner Ballmer agreed to much of what Robertson demanded.

Now Leonard is set to return to Toronto once a trade agreed in principle in June is officially processed. "As I return to Toronto, I am focused on what I can control, closing this chapter, and moving forward with a clean slate," he said. He will also pay the league $700,000 for travel, tickets and gifts he received and never paid for.

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2. Pablo Torre Sounds Off on NBA's Historic Ruling, Hits Back at ESPN

Source: Variety

On Sept. 2, the NBA handed down its historic punishment against the Clippers — the biggest penalty levied against a team in league history. Sports journalist Pablo Torre responded publicly today (Sept. 4), again criticizing former employer ESPN for a story that questioned the credibility of his reporting.

The NBA hired the law firm Wachtell Lipton to conduct an independent investigation, which found the Clippers had "committed multiple significant rules violations" and that Leonard, via his uncle Dennis Robertson, had compelled the team to help him obtain off-court income while failing to reimburse personal expenses. Leonard said he accepted "full responsibility for the lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle," while commissioner Adam Silver said he was "deeply disappointed" by the violations. Ballmer accused the NBA of "a heavily biased investigation" and said he is exploring legal remedies.

Torre's earlier podcast investigation alleged the Clippers circumvented the salary cap by having Leonard receive a $28 million no-show endorsement deal from Aspiration, whose co-founder was sentenced to 14 years in prison for defrauding investors.

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3. Judge Grants Injunction to Pro Players Seeking LSU Return

Source: tsn.ca

On Thursday (Sept. 3) evening, Baton Rouge judge William Jorden approved a preliminary injunction that prohibits the NCAA and SEC from punishing any school that puts the players on the field, clearing former NFL players Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to return to college football.

Both are former Ole Miss players who intend to join their former coach Lane Kiffin at LSU, which opens its season Saturday night against Clemson. They are among 42 athletes suing the NCAA for a fifth and final college season. Wright said he is ready to play Saturday against Clemson; Harris said he will need a couple of weeks and will be ready for the Ole Miss game on Sept. 19.

SEC attorneys said they plan to appeal. The conference said member universities should not place former professional athletes on their rosters. Judge Jorden said from the bench that the league's approach "sounds an awful lot like wide-open collusion." Every school except LSU voted to approve the sanctions, and LSU must finalize its roster by Friday.

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4. Felix Auger-Aliassime Bounced From U.S. Open in Second Round

Source: CBC

Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime, the No. 3 seed, was eliminated from the U.S. Open on Wednesday, dropping his second-round match to Russia's Karen Khachanov in four sets. The Montreal native won the first set in a tiebreak 7-6 (5) but lost the next three sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

World No. 50 Khachanov broke Auger-Aliassime's serve seven times and saved seven of nine break points to secure only his second top-10 win at a Grand Slam. The 2022 U.S. Open semi-finalist won four straight games at one point, leaving his opponent looking a shell of his normal self.

Next for Khachanov will be either France's Benjamin Bonzi or Peru's 32nd seed Ignacio Buse. Elsewhere, two-time U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka advanced to the third round with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 win over Katerina Siniakova.

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5. Blue Jays, Rangers Just 0.5 Games Back of Guardians in AL Wild-Card Race

Source: Sportsnet.ca

The Toronto Blue Jays kept pace in the American League wild-card race on Thursday. In the afternoon they beat the Cleveland Guardians 6-3 to pull within 0.5 games, and at night Canadian right-hander Cal Quantrill led the Texas Rangers to a 6-0 win over the AL-best Tampa Bay Rays, moving the Rangers into a tie with Toronto.

The Blue Jays (70-71) have won five of six and sit a half-game behind Cleveland (70-70). Brett Bateman had three hits, Nathan Lukes lined a two-run double with the bases loaded in the fifth, and Louis Varland earned his 32nd save.

Quantrill, from Port Hope, Ont., allowed two singles and two walks over seven innings, while Corey Seager hit a two-run homer. On Friday, Toronto visits the Kansas City Royals, while Cleveland plays a doubleheader against Detroit.

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6. Khosla Family Closes Purchase of Seahawks for $9.6 Billion

Source: Sportsnet.ca

The Khosla family officially closed its purchase of the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks for $9.612 billion on Thursday, the final step eight days after NFL owners approved the sale.

Vinod Khosla will hold the title of chair, Neeru Khosla will serve as controlling owner and president of the Seahawks Charitable Foundation, and Neal Khosla will serve as vice chair, along with a dozen co-owners. The sale happened in accordance with the wishes of late owner Paul Allen, whose estate began selling the team in February.

Vinod Khosla is the founder of Khosla Ventures, with a net worth of $13.7 billion according to Forbes. As part of the deal, the family was required to relinquish its ownership stake in the San Francisco 49ers.

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7. Botched Edmonton Marathon Costs 13 Runners Shot at Boston Marathon

Source: Sportsnet.ca

A botched racecourse that was about 674.7 metres longer than it should have been has cost 13 runners a chance to compete in the Boston Marathon, organizers said in a Thursday statement. The Boston Marathon will accept the finishing times of 92 competitors to qualify but not the other 13.

The Aug. 16 race in Edmonton was about two-thirds of a kilometre longer than necessary. Organizers initially stood by their calculated course length but a review found they had miscalculated it, citing an issue with a mapped detour. The Boston Athletics Association said it would not accept race times adjusted to accommodate the extra distance.

Race director Tom Keogh vowed the distance miscalculation would not happen again. Despite the added length, two course records were broken in both the men's and women's marathons.

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8. PM Carney Takes a Dig at Maple Leafs' Stanley Cup Drought

Source: CTV News

Prime Minister Mark Carney took a shot at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday during a news conference in Thunder Bay, Ont., while announcing a $4.7 billion contract for new Via Rail passenger cars.

"Our rail cars on our long distance and remote routes are more than 70 years old. They were built when the NHL had six teams. Goalies wouldn't wear masks. The Leafs would win the cup. That's a long time ago," Carney said.

The Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup in 1967, leaving them with the longest championship drought in the NHL at nearly 60 years.

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9. World No.1 Sabalenka Shuts Down U.S. Open Reporter: 'You Are a Joke'

Source: 7NEWS

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka overwhelmed Polina Latcenko 6-1, 6-1 in 53 minutes in the U.S. Open second round on Thursday (AEST), then slammed a reporter in her post-match press conference, calling the questioning "a joke."

When asked whether she had been to "lots of parties and fun" last week, Sabalenka fired back: "You guys are like a joke. Parties. Fun. Why would you even say that? Just because I posted some activities with brands and you think that I've been partying and not training?" She ended with: "Think before you say stuff."

The two-time defending champion is trying to become the first player to win three straight titles at Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams from 2012-14. Elsewhere, No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula beat Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1, and world No. 7 Karolina Muchova crushed Katie Boulter 6-1, 6-0.

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10. Gabriel Martinelli Leaves Arsenal for Al-Hilal in £60m Deal

Source: The Guardian

Arsenal have confirmed Gabriel Martinelli has joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal for £60 million, with the deal understood to include a sell-on clause. The fee surpasses Arsenal's previous record of £40 million received for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's 2017 move to Liverpool.

Martinelli, who joined Arsenal from Ituano in 2019 and was part of last season's Premier League title-winning squad, has signed a four-year contract worth about £17 million a season.

The 25-year-old is the second Brazilian to leave Arsenal this week after Gabriel Jesus moved to Barcelona for £8.6 million. The deal went through before the Saudi transfer window closes on Sunday, with Arsenal also selling Fábio Vieira to Hamburg on deadline day but bringing in no new players.

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