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

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by Commodore, Sep 3, 2025 at 7:22 AM.

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  1. REEKO_HTOWN

    REEKO_HTOWN I'm Rich Biiiiaaatch!

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    If nothing happens to the Clippers then it’s open season for the rest of the league. Lakers will go ham. Silver has to know this right?
     
    #41 REEKO_HTOWN, Sep 4, 2025 at 9:13 AM
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  2. Le$$

    Le$$ Member

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    That team is getting to old anyways, looks to me there just stock piling greedy crooks

    Chris "Cliff" Pawn, Bradley Bucks, James Frauden, Kawhi "No Show" Leonard
     
    #42 Le$$, Sep 4, 2025 at 9:22 AM
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2025 at 9:29 AM
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  3. sealclubber1016

    sealclubber1016 Member
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    20 Million per year contract, and a completely unrelated 40 million dollar endorsement deal with JimBob's hardware store.

    Makes navigating the cap a lot easier.
     
    #43 sealclubber1016, Sep 4, 2025 at 3:04 PM
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  4. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    Echoing a ton of folks here saying that the league needs to come down hard on this.
     
    #44 MadMax, Sep 4, 2025 at 4:01 PM
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  5. Plowman

    Plowman Member

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    Yeah, Silver will be wielding Mjolnir.
     
    #45 Plowman, Sep 4, 2025 at 4:22 PM
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  6. TimDuncanDonaut

    TimDuncanDonaut Member

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    More news trickling in per Boston Sports Journal. Full article linked, but the main takeaway is full amount promised $48, not just the previously reported $28 m.

    Article:

    Kawhi Leonard endorsement deal that triggered NBA investigation was actually worth $48 million

    "The $28 million deal was to be paid in quarterly installments over four years, but it was not the only compensation Leonard received. According to a high-level source, Leonard also cut a side deal with Aspiration to receive an additional $20 million in company stock. The stock was to be paid out from Sanberg’s personal holdings in the company over four years."​


    Granted the company has now gone defunct, and Sanberg who was arrested in March of 2025 on charges of defrauding investors is unlikely to pay it.
     
    #46 TimDuncanDonaut, Sep 4, 2025 at 4:23 PM
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  7. RB713

    RB713 Member

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    Rockets got a turkey hair product sponsorship this year! Sengun didn’t take max money. Hmmm

    Tilman you’re next!
     
    #47 RB713, Sep 4, 2025 at 4:23 PM
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  8. JW86

    JW86 Member

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    Okay so here’s what needs to happen:
    - Forfeit picks for x amount of years.
    - Kawhi’s contract voided but still count against the cap and he cannot sign with any team for this season, so suspended. It’s not like he plays much anyways.
    - Balmer hit with a hefty fine and I’d say forced to sell the team, but that won’t happen, so let’s say: anything like this every happening again or some kind of scandal, you’re out Balmer and we’re coming for your ass.
     
    #48 JW86, Sep 4, 2025 at 5:15 PM
  9. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    But Why?
    I mean . . .d*mn . . . .. the contract wasn't enough?

    Rocket River
     
    #49 Rocket River, Sep 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM
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  10. heypartner

    heypartner Member

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    Cuban seems confident here

     
    #50 heypartner, Sep 4, 2025 at 6:20 PM
  11. RB713

    RB713 Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #51 RB713, Sep 4, 2025 at 6:57 PM
  12. jb86

    jb86 Member

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    Stuff like this has been going on for years.
     
    #52 jb86, Sep 4, 2025 at 7:17 PM
  13. apollo33

    apollo33 Member

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    Tillman would never
     
    #53 apollo33, Sep 4, 2025 at 8:26 PM
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  14. astrosrule

    astrosrule Member

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    Toronto agreed to give him the 15 mil from a sponsor also so anything that happens to the clips should also happen to the raptors (assuming the nba won't actually dig into all the teams that do this, because they won't).
     
    #54 astrosrule, Sep 4, 2025 at 8:34 PM
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  15. percicles

    percicles Member

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    I saw some GMs quoted anonymously that if it’s true it’ll be a punishment worse than what Minn got for the Josh Smith thing in the 90s. Old timers may remember but for the young folks it was bad. 5 1st round picks, $4mil fine, voided contract and gm and owner were suspended. It killed the KG era in Minnesota pretty much.
     
    #55 percicles, Sep 4, 2025 at 10:07 PM
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  16. DrNuegebauer

    DrNuegebauer Member

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    It's fine - it isn't actually an illegal payment if it isn't used....
     
    #56 DrNuegebauer, Sep 4, 2025 at 11:28 PM
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  17. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

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    #57 daywalker02, Sep 5, 2025 at 5:11 AM
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  18. bustamove

    bustamove Member

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    Joe Smith
     
    #58 bustamove, Sep 5, 2025 at 6:58 AM
  19. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
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    It's printed on every coupon: "This coupon has no cash value."

    So I guess it would not be counted as a form of payment.
     
    #59 Easy, Sep 5, 2025 at 9:22 AM
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  20. zeeshan2

    zeeshan2 Member

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    Ballmer playing the victim is hilarious

    https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/66...lmer-kawhi-leonard-endorsement-deal-clippers/
     
    #60 zeeshan2, Sep 5, 2025 at 9:34 AM
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