[Pablo Torre] Steve Balmer paid Kawhi Leonard under the table to avoid salary cap

Care for the environment and NBA salary cap circumvention are not mutually exclusive.

 

You don't have to wait till tomorrow, you can get everything from the Clover case for free here, including the 532 page transcript of Sanberg's deposition (Entry 365)

https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/FCASeFiledDocsDetail?county_code=SAsOoVuCm_PLUS_7hbmGpf6T_PLUS_UQ==&txtIndexNo=NQ5daC6yCcucYb0uOH7nDw==&showMenu=no&isPreRji=N&civilCase=RPUxF1d5u8hmuxOIHXZMOQ==

( I can't remember if these URL's persist, just looku pthe case by index no again if it doesn't, it is 652063/23, the NY webcivil site is clunky but it works)

FWIW he takes the fifth a lot, basically any question as to how Aspiration made money.

 

I can actually confirm this, it's part of what I do for a living. In this situation it's not typical to do what they did. It's more usual for a company like the one I work for to do that, but it's usually with organizations that have already delivered legitimate credits and have that infrastructure - not for upstarts or unproven "assets" because those carbon credits are usually VERY important for the operation of a lot of businesses that use them (less so the Clippers, which may be one of their "excuses" because they can probably plead naiveté a little bit.) We buy HUGE amounts as an actual large energy provider, but we're buying in advance from people who've delivered for over a decade at this point and we're pumping out emissions from actual fossil fuel power plants. I can't see any valid reason for a basketball stadium to buy a large amount of carbon credits in advance, never mind from a company with no track record. Isn't it supposed to be a super hi-tech arena already? It's got to be way more energy efficient than some of the older arenas in the country, how much carbon do they really think they're putting out?

 

It’s good people doing their due diligence, but is anyone actually still not convinced this some shady **** that deserves serious punishment?

 

You may be remembering my friend who posted here, Refman. He is a BK attorney

 

When you get into the podcast and start posting on the topic, just be sure to include your standard **This Is Not Legal Advice** disclaimer

I miss Refman

 

I haven't seen him in a very long time.

 

What Pablo has done with these 4 podcasts (I assume he has more in the barrel) is absolutely devastating because Ballmer is guilty as hell. Forget what evidence the law firm might find. Pablo has essentially pigeonholed the NBA's entire investigation because he has already provided their summary presentation in an accessible format to the public with documentation and witnesses. Wachtel literally has to provide his evidence AND expand on it or lose all credibility. The NBA will wait until after the all-star break to announce any decision but Silver is between a rock and a hard place. He wanted to sweep this under the rug but I don't think he can or will. I think the Clippers get the death penalty. You can't be a little pregnant and this also piggybacks off the 2019 investigation. I don't think this will happen but let's start a fight on the internet.

Uncle Dennis lifetime ban
Kawhi suspended through end of 2026-2027 season (if Uncle Dennis violates terms lifetime ban)
Kawhi fined $21M

Ballmer suspended same as Kawhi
Clippers fined $5M
Lose 5 1st picks. (2027, 2029-2032 I know two of those picks are swaps so Clips lose the backend, swaps still go through)

I also think people are getting very itchy about the Brunson deal now that this is out.

 

Wonder if Ballmer would just shut up and take it like crane did or if he would fight back and expose the league. I certainly hope for the latter.

 

For anyone who has information to spill about any team in this vein, Pablo Torres has become the go-to guy.

Stay tuned.

 

Uh huh.

Do you know anything about Steve Ballmer?

 

I think the way the Astros were treated will keep teams from talking.

 

I would hope so

 

I doubt it would solely be on Balmer because he likely had things more pertinent to himself to hide.

 

The Stros were treated with kid gloves. It could have been much, much worse.

 

It could have been much worse, but for teams that have kept their mouths shut and the Astros who admitted it, the Astros typically received much harsher punishment. The kid gloves were not worth it, and the Astros may have benefited by just saying "it wasn't me".

 

Can't wait for the NIL stories in a few years. There are a lot of shady players in the NBA. Joel Embiid and Paul George come to mind. Jalen Green, Wemby, Ace Bailey, Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe are another bunch I'm highly suspicious of.

 

IMO a pleabargain would be the best for everybody here, but something like

Loss of 3 FRPs over 10 years (alternatively you could hae some years where they are made to draft at 30)
Big fine (10's of millions)
Void Leonard contract (this is actually a reward for the Clippers)
1 year suspension for Ballmer/Wong

 

How about instead, suspend Leonard for 1 year without pay, the money remains on the Clippers books regardless? Everyone should feel the pain.

 

Regarding the fine, I would say that the salary paid to Kawhi by Aspiration should be counted towards the luxury taxes for those years. For the 1st three years, this is ~$100M range (back of the napkin). If I was one of the owners that was receiving tax payments those years, I would want my cut of that salary paid over the tax threshold.