Hiring lawyers to investigate their richest owner and partner of the league, the NBA has determined they don’t know what you’re talking about, everything’s all good, what investigation? you’re being weird, bro, Kawhi? I don’t know her. No further questions.
The NBA has found no evidence showing LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer funneled money through team sponsors to pay Kawhi Leonard in order to circumvent the salary cap, according to three people with knowledge of discussions between the two sides in recent days.
Instead, the NBA is focused on whether the team’s introduction of Leonard to team sponsors constitutes a violation of the league’s rules prohibiting salary cap circumvention, two of the sources said. The league is examining whether the Clippers are guilty of “failure to supervise” employees, though it’s unclear what specific rule the team would have violated or what the penalties would be, two of the sources said. (Source)
Despite the avalanche of evidence compiled by Pablo Torre—detailing Steve Ballmer, as well as 1% owner Dennis Wong, both “investing” roughly the exact amount of money Kawhi Leonard was due to be paid by the failing Ponzi scheme of Aspiration. Kawhi, earning multitudes more from an Aspiration sponsorship than Drake and Leonardo DiCaprio—the latter two at least posting about the company—Kawhi didn’t acknowledge Aspiration, walking away with more dollars than the celebrity sponsors.
Pablo Torre also discovered the jumbotron company was cutting Kawhi “sponsorship” checks. I’ve never seen a scoreboard company hire a public sponsor. I don’t know anyone in the market for a new scoreboard. Torre had sources straight tell him everyone involved knew the Los Angeles Clippers were circumventing the salary cap, paying Kawhi exponentially more than his contract. And not in a way where it’s like “come on, man. Every team does this,” but in a way where like a billionaire can personally resuscitate a dying, FBI-raided company, pumping tens of millions quarterly, without anyone batting an eye.
The NBA’s meticulous litigators combed through the hours, days, weeks of evidence and determined, actually, after a year, there was no evidence. Nothing happened. What are you guys bothering them about? Did you see the Christmas Day lineup? We’re really excited about this year’s Emirates Cup. Also the Kushners are building a new, separate locker room for the white Lakers.
Steve Ballmer should probably be in prison for fraud, helping Aspiration crime, but the NBA can’t arrest.
A fine would be cool.
Or any sort of penalty.
NBA owners can generate wealth through arms dealing, election-swaying, insurance fraud and bribery. They can now, officially, funnel money through random scoreboard companies to pay stars extra, secretly.
As you read this, James Dolan is watching footage of hooded black teens walk through Madison Square Garden so he can ID and ban them.
The only NBA ownership disqualifier is getting caught saying the n-word.
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