When mistakes repeat, people start calling them intentional. Or perhaps they were never mistakes at all. History now casts a sharp light on the Los Angeles Clippers, where 2015 and 2019 carry striking similarities under Steve Ballmer’s rule. The timelines overlap, and the whispers echo louder. And the scrutiny over his franchise? It’s growing again.

The DeAndre Jordan free agency saga in 2015 delivered pure drama as the 27-year-old first committed to the Dallas Mavericks before stunningly returning to the Clippers. Yet the real violation emerged elsewhere. According to the league, the issue stemmed from the Clippers’ July 2 presentation. During those negotiations, team officials improperly raised a potential third-party endorsement opportunity.

Now, the NBA later ruled that the endorseme

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