ATL - Kawhi salary cap circumvention

[Ron Swanson]

In a just world the league would come down hard on Ballmer and the Clippers would be forced to give up serious assets/fines, but good luck with that with the Spineless Slug Commissioner in charge. Silver doesn't have the stones for anything other than a slap on the wrist fine, and maybe a couple 2nd round picks forfeited. Sadly, these are times where I wish David Stern was still alive.

[midranger]

Half these dudes are probably sweating out something else today tbh…

[Bernman]

I'm sure this isn't the first time something like this has happened ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'm sure this isn't even close to the first time it's happened in sports. Like, even Patriots homers in the media say they were doing with this with Tom Brady.

Crazy to see a team actually get caught though. Very curious how/if the NBA responds.

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Definitely. Edens could easily include a player in one of his business deals. This isn't much of a story TBH.

Then why did we overpay Proprietor Pat? Wouldn't have eaten so much tax & been over the 2nd apron otherwise.

It's a big story because gaming the apron system would be a huge competitive benefit these days. Should yield a stiff penalty.

[emunney]

I like how his left arm is a hand-me-down from a 50 year old plumber and his right hand is 2x as big as his left. Did you make this or find it?

[emunney]

Source image fwiw

[MickeyDavis]

The Clippers circumventing the salary cap is the least surprising news article of the day, the fact that it was so blatant however is surprising.

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Thought his "no-show job" was the regular season.

[Matches Malone]

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[MickeyDavis]

Where Ballmer went wrong was not having Kawhi do anything and having his sponsorship payment apparently be so much larger than the other celebs.

Yup, even Tony Soprano and crew had to show up at construction sites (with lawn chairs) to justify their W2's.l

[JayMKE]

This should be a major major scandal imo but I have little confidence in Adam Silver not bending over. Ballmer honestly should be banned from all team activity and fined the maximum amount from the NBA for this, the NBA doesn't need him and he should be told to sell. There isn't a shortage of billionaires who want to own an NBA team in LA, Ballmer shouldn't have this privilege because of his immense wealth. Kawhi should have his contract voided and the Clippers should lose a 5 1st round picks just like they did to Minnesota for Joe Smith.

[PintSizedBox10]

Can't wait to see what sort of pathetic slap on wrist punishment Silver manages to cook up

[drew881]

This should be a major major scandal imo but I have little confidence in Adam Silver not bending over. Ballmer honestly should be banned from all team activity and fined the maximum amount from the NBA for this, the NBA doesn't need him and he should be told to sell. There isn't a shortage of billionaires who want to own an NBA team in LA, Ballmer shouldn't have this privilege because of his immense wealth. Kawhi should have his contract voided and the Clippers should lose a 5 1st round picks just like they did to Minnesota for Joe Smith.

Please still let him dance. Let’s not punish everyone.

[skbucks1985]

I do think nothing is going to happen to Ballmer, but not because Silver is weak or to be more precise, I don't think this should be lumped in with the other examples that are most commonly used to illustrate that point. Even if that image of him didn't exist he still wouldn't do anything because Silver works for the owners and he's not going to drop the hammer on one owner for doing something that is probably a pretty common practice among the owners. In the same vein, one thing that was completely glossed over in the Micah Parson story is the apparently fairly common practice of NFL owners negotiating contracts without agents, in clear violation of the CBA, to the point that there's a term for it, hotboxing. Goddell isn't going to do anything to Jerry Jones because this is probably something that 25 other teams do.

[BUCKnation]

Sounds like Kawhi should be heavily fined, if not suspended, as well.

[jakecronus8]

Ultimately I think the owners oust Ballmer. How could they not? And Kawhi should be getting at least a one year suspension.

[emunney]

Sounds like Kawhi should be heavily fined, if not suspended, as well.

Well, he stands to lose his contract.

When it happened with Joe Smith, the purpose of the under-the-table agreement was to secure his Bird Rights and then give him the big contract. So when Stern voided the contracts that resulted in the Wolves having Smith's Bird Rights, the Bird Rights went away. That wouldn't be the case for Kawhi, who had Bird Rights from the previous contract. In either case, I'm not sure what today's CBA allows as punishment for complicit players (and their agents).

[ajb905]

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/who-is-uncle-dennis-what-to-know-about-kawhi-leonards-adviser-dennis-robertson-and-his-2019-nba-investigation-174939205.html

Robertson was accused of asking for part ownership of the team, a private plane to be available to Leonard at all times and a guaranteed amount of off-court endorsement money that could be guaranteed to Leonard if he played for that team, per The Athletic.

This was investigated in the past per article and now the evidence is showing up. Not sure how the hammer won't be dropped?

[MickeyDavis]

I wonder what kind of handshake deal Brunson got.

[humanrefutation]

The NBA should absolutely come down on the Clippers and Ballmer. For the Clips, that means voiding Kawhi's contract and making him a FA, costing them several picks, and a massive fine.

I think they should ban Ballmer and force him to sell. But I doubt they'll go that far.

[emunney]

The NBA should absolutely come down on the Clippers and Ballmer. For the Clips, that means voiding Kawhi's contract and making him a FA, costing them several picks, and a massive fine.

I think they should ban Ballmer and force him to sell. But I doubt they'll go that far.

I think the league would hate to lose Ballmer. He's been in good standing otherwise. They didn't go that far with Glen Taylor.

Wonder if he went over Lawrence Frank's head on this or if he's going to be implicated, too.

[Bernman]

Kawhi will join the Bucks on the partial room exception to be our 2nd option & starting SF after his contract is voided & 30 game suspension ends.