NBA Investigating Whether Cap Circumventing Inducements Were Offered In Offseason

[RealGM Wiretap]

The NBA is investigating whether improper inducements were offered to players to circumvent the salary cap this offseason.

The issue was raised by multiple team owners during the NBA's board of governors.

There were also multiple reports this month suggesting that Kawhi Leonard’s representatives, in arranging his blockbuster move from the Toronto Raptors to the Los Angeles Clippers, had asked for perks that would violate the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

Stephen A. Smith said Dennis Robertson had asked other teams for houses, planes and guaranteed sponsorship money. Smith added, “I have no idea whether this is true or not.” 

In another report, The Sports Network in Canada said Robertson had asked for “things players don’t generally ask for in standard contract negotiations.”

The Minnesota Timberwolves were fined $3.5 million and penalized five first round picks due to under-the-table deals they signed with Joe Smith.

Via Sopan Deb/New York Times

[gaoj2]

One day, soon, NBA super star will create their own league, Not their own team, by that time, NBA is done

[Bricks]

One day, soon, NBA super star will create their own league, Not their own team, by that time, NBA is done

And no one will watch cause it's going to look like a pickup or all-star game.

[meekrab]

Smith added, “I have no idea whether this is true or not.” 

Just like everything else he says.

[LAKESHOW]

Yes! Thats what i like about Raptor fans and organization. They will follow your plane. Stalk your family. Surround your car. And if you leave, they will act like a scorned woman and track you down with accusations and enact VENGEANCE.

[dan-man]

One day, soon, NBA super star will create their own league, Not their own team, by that time, NBA is done

They have one, called the big 3 no?

[Secueritae]

The Minnesota Timberwolves were fined $3.5 million and penalized five first round picks due to under-the-table deals they signed with Joe Smith.

If this happens to the Clippers they may not have a draft pick until 2030

[itsme23]

Yes! Thats what i like about Raptor fans and organization. They will follow your plane. Stalk your family. Surround your car. And if you leave, they will act like a scorned woman and track you down with accusations and enact VENGEANCE.

Raps definitely salty they couldn’t keep Kawhi and compete for another ring, but it’s pretty obvious Kawhis camp asked for all this and more.

[alienpick]

One day, soon, NBA super star will create their own league, Not their own team, by that time, NBA is done

You act like this is such a slight on the players. The COLLECTIVE (as in everyone, including the players, collectively agreed upon) Bargaining Agreement is there to instil a fair playing field for all teams and players. It does things like making sure that the lowest players get paid good fair money and that the richest teams can’t give away billions of dollars and just buy championships. THAT wouldn’t be in the best interest of the league, or the players not on that team.

Sports, any sports, is nothing without a fair playing field. You need collectively agreed upon rules in order to establish that. When someone else cheats those rules for their own personal game, they cheat everyone else who played within those rules, and they cheat the game.

Even your imaginary players league will end up with a set of rules, including contracts and negotiations.

[ItsDanger]

The comments about being salty or sour in these discussions are juvenile. Apparently to these people, breaking legal agreements is just fine. Where there's smoke, there's fire. I can guarantee that non-salary compensation to related parties was discussed. In Toronto's case I'd guess he asked for a personal private plane. Why else would have met with CargoJet immediately after the Finals?

[Indomitable]

Yes! Thats what i like about Raptor fans and organization. They will follow your plane. Stalk your family. Surround your car. And if you leave, they will act like a scorned woman and track you down with accusations and enact VENGEANCE.

I thought this was the butt hurt faker fans

[FreeBoosie]

Stephen A. Smith said Dennis Robertson had asked other teams for houses, planes and guaranteed sponsorship money. Smith added, “I have no idea whether this is true or not.”

So y even come with this s#it if you have no idea if it’s true or not lolol

[DannyAingeIsGod]

One day, soon, NBA super star will create their own league, Not their own team, by that time, NBA is done

And no one will watch cause it's going to look like a pickup or all-star game.

Woah slow down Adam Silver. Get this; white dudes who own teams are taking 50% of league revenue. The players get the other half, now if the players are down to cut the costs on games, finance the arenas, hire faces for their league, blah blah blah i’d be down, but they would be sued heavily for one and two I don’t think anyone who has played in the Nba would be able to play in the new league. The ONLY was I could see this working.. this new league would have to start with no name guys, draft all of the top prospects just as the nba does, but pay these players way more than the nba could afford, and then maybe we have a ball game.

[jason bourne]

It would be great if the Kawhi was found guilty. If it was just Kawhi, then what can he be fined? He's such a filthy, dirty, rotten weasel of a person. He's replaced LeBron as THE player to hate imho. (The team should dictate load management of a palyer.) If the Clippers were involved, then they would be fined draft picks. There's too much power in the hands of players now. I was just complaining about KD dictating that the Warriors toss in a 1st round draft in their S&T for DLo. Steve Kerr was upset about AD stating he wanted out of his contract with two years left. The owners were crying about how teams and players already had made their deals BEFORE the free agency period started; that's tampering. Silver is a disgrace. He has let things get out of hand, so the players have too much power. He needs to confiscate cell phones and messages of teams and players to see that tampering isn't being done. The CBA needs to be amended to spell all this out.

[Lava Rock Kid]

One day, soon, NBA super star will create their own league, Not their own team, by that time, NBA is done

with no arena's, tv money, apparel money. Do you think they will make superstar money. Nope, the players need the teams, as much as the teams need the players.

[Lava Rock Kid]

They should fine the lakers for the backroom deal they did with the Brow

[HiRez]

Too bad the Clippers can’t be penalized any first round picks, I think they gave about 50 years worth to OKC.

[jason bourne]

Too bad the Clippers can’t be penalized any first round picks, I think they gave about 50 years worth to OKC.

The Nets can be penalized. Reports are coming out that both KD and Irving posted on IG they were Nets BEFORE the start of free agency.

[dougthonus]

One day, soon, NBA super star will create their own league, Not their own team, by that time, NBA is done

with no arena's, tv money, apparel money. Do you think they will make superstar money. Nope, the players need the teams, as much as the teams need the players.

The players need the league much more than the other way around. You can look at college for this. Interest in NCAA basketball makes it valuable even though NCAA basketball isn't as competitive or highly skilled as the NBA or any of the major European leagues. It is the loyalty of the fans that make it what it is.

If the top 20 players all permanently left the NBA and went to the big 3 or Europe, you wouldn't those leagues all of a sudden rolling in 100s of millions of dollars, and in a couple years, you'd just see the next 20 players up be marketed in the NBA and the machine would roll on.

[Chris3323]

Clippers lost alot here also. Let this go