Sports
NBA Fines Clippers $30 Million, Suspends Steve Ballmer for One Year
The Coachella Valley Firebirds are getting ready for a preseason matchup against the Ontario Reign, with the two teams also set to meet on opening night.
The rivalry will continue with the Firebirds hosting the Reign at Acrisure Arena in the preseason before the teams meet again to open the regular season. Single-game tickets and preseason tickets are available through the Firebirds.
The Roggin Report also previews another busy week of high school football across the Coachella Valley.
Thursday night's schedule includes Riverside Notre Dame at Cathedral City, Desert Mirage at Mendez, Xavier Prep at Serrano and Shadow Hills at Yucaipa. All four games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Friday's schedule features Coachella Valley at Palm Springs, Hemet at Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert at Victor Valley, along with other games involving Valley teams.
Several teams are looking to remain undefeated, including Indio and Desert Mirage, both of which entered the week at 2-0. The Roggin Report will have coverage of the week's games, along with the Play of the Week competition sponsored by Honda of the Desert. The winner receives $250.
In professional sports, the NBA has handed down major penalties against the Los Angeles Clippers following an 11-month investigation.
The league says the Clippers circumvented the salary cap by facilitating a no-show endorsement deal for Kawhi Leonard. The team was fined $30 million and will forfeit five first-round draft picks from 2029 through 2033.
Leonard was fined $700,000 but will not be suspended. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was suspended from all NBA activities for one year.
The penalties end the league's investigation and add another major storyline for the Clippers as the team begins a new era at its recently built arena.
Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.
By: Tim O'Brien
September 2, 2026
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More than 2,000 rescues — and the year isn’t over yet. Santa Clemente lifeguards are keeping a close eye on the Pacific as they prepare for potentially stronger surf and bigger waves this winter. From Tower Zero, lifeguards monitor the entire beach and use cameras to spot trouble in the water. One of their biggest concerns? Rip currents, which can pull swimmers far from shore. With more rescues already this year than all of last year, lifeguards say the key is simple: be ready before someone needs help. #SanClemente #Lifeguards #OceanSafety #RipCurrents #BeachSafety SurfSafety SouthernCalifornia PacificOcean NBCPalmSprings
The Salton Sea is at a crossroads. From a massive restoration project bringing habitat back to the shoreline, to a potential lithium boom, and the new Salton Sea Conservancy, its future is being shaped right now. We’re taking you behind the scenes to explore what comes next for the Salton Sea. In our newest 30-minute report, go behind-the-scenes with the state’s conservation team, learn about updated timlines from lithium executives, and hear how former political leaders paved the way. Restoring the Salton Sea: Progress, Promise and Pressure. Streaming this Sunday on NBC Palm Springs. #saltonsea #lithiumvalley #saltonseaconservancy #marybono
A few PSUSD students will get a unique opportunity to learn more about careers in Aviation at the Palm Springs Air Museum with the districts launch of their Aviation and Aeronautics Career Exploration Program. Be sure to stay tuned with NBC Palm Springs to learn all about this. #palmspringsairmuseum #palmsprings #aviationeducation #psusd #backtoschool
Escape to the mountains without spending a fortune. Looking for a unique getaway? Hicksville Pines Bud & Breakfast in Idyllwild offers themed rooms, retro arcade games, outdoor activities, arts and crafts, nightly camp movies and plenty of opportunities to relax and enjoy the mountain air. And there’s a special deal for NBC Palm Springs viewers: 15% off your stay 20% off additional nights when available Use code NBCPalmSprings at checkout The adults-only property also offers a relaxed 420-friendly atmosphere and complimentary breakfast, including a memorable cannabis-leaf-shaped waffle. Would you stay here for a mountain getaway? #NBCPalmSprings #Idyllwild #HicksvillePines #MountainGetaway #CaliforniaGetaway WeekendGetaway CoachellaValley TravelCalifornia
☕️ Social Time with Thalia & Jerry. What’s your go-to breakfast?
A new Sand Cat kitten is receiving its first in-hospital wellness exam. Our Maria Noble Valdez was able to go into the hospital and get a unique behind-the-scenes look at why this is so important. Be sure to tune in at 5 and 6 pm tonight or visit nbcpalmsprings.com to learn more. #thelivingdesert #wildlifeconservation #sandcat #coachellavalley #palmdesert
Social Time with Thalia and Jerry. Does Sept. 1st make you think of fall, or not quite yet?
A judge has officially dropped a second degree murder charge against former Silvercrest CEO William Frank Rodriguez due to insufficient evidence. Rodriguez now faces a felony hit and run charge and driving under a suspended license. Rodriguez is accused of killing 60-year old Cathedral City resident Christina Barrington in a hit and run crash back in October of 2024. Tune in to our evening newscasts as our @newsbyalondra shares details on the preliminary hearing in this case.
It’s been one month since a car crashed into the Burger Box restaurant in Indio. Owner Anthony Ruiz says a lot has been happening behind the scenes since then. With some new, big developments over the past week, Ruiz spoke with NBC Palm Springs’s @maria_nvtv to discuss rebuilding, new details about the investigation taking place, and how the owners are feeling now. Watch the full on update on NBC Palm Springs at 5 & 6, and visit nbcpalmsprings.com to hear where things stand, what’s next, and how the Burger Box family is reflecting on this incident as they navigate their new reality. #BurgerBox #update #indio #localbusiness #rebuilding
Social time with Thalia and Jerry and Hayden