ATL - Wemby dominates, Billups arrested in gambling probe

[th87]

From my peripheral view of all this (I haven’t heard the PTFO pod) there doesn’t seem to be any smoking gun link between the Kawhi deal and the Clips other than Ballmer’s investment and the comments of alleged ex workers at Aspiration who said it was a sham for circumventing the salary cap? How do we know the con artists didn’t just do this to get some clout with inner circle nba guys? Ballmer is no dope. It’s hard to imagine he’d be so blatant about breaking the cap like this.

He's no dope, he just invests millions of dollars in the lucrative for-profit tree-planting industry

This was my first thought exactly. This “company” raised like a half billion dollars to plant trees?

In a timeline that made any sense, dozens of people would be going to jail for this obvious money laundering endeavor. Alas, it’s 2025.

Rookie mistake not to go with the crypto rug pull like the other cutting-edge fraudsters.

[emunney]

He's no dope, he just invests millions of dollars in the lucrative for-profit tree-planting industry

This was my first thought exactly. This “company” raised like a half billion dollars to plant trees?

In a timeline that made any sense, dozens of people would be going to jail for this obvious money laundering endeavor. Alas, it’s 2025.

Rookie mistake not to go with the crypto rug pull like the other cutting-edge fraudsters.

I guess it's possible that Ballmer is as Homer Simpson as he looks.

[drew881]

I also like Cuban’s defense that he wouldn’t know where a 50 mil investment goes. Dude spent years on TV nickel and diming petty entrepreneurs for entertainment value.

[emunney]

Whatever we may have given Giannis under the table (and I'm not saying we did),he could have got from any other team.

Giannis' loyalty can't be questioned. He's about to begin his 13th year.

The whole loyalty thing with Giannis is kind of weird. Yes, it is the same fan base but what is he loyal to? He isn't from here, he didn't ask to come here, the owners have completely changed, the management has completely turned over, the coaching staff has changed over several times, he is the only guy remaining from his rookie season, the practice center has changed, the stadium has changed, even 95% if the people in the stadium have changed over. I'm kind of over him needing to be loyal, just as long as he doesn't go the AD route or **** on the city on the way out.

You raise some fair points. And we romanticize this stuff, unquestionably.

But we do form attachments to the regions we live in, and the places we have been. Its human.

Giannis made a home here, for whatever reasons and factors played a part. And its endearing to many who have spent time in Milwaukee and been fond of that time.

Sure he can leave at any time and it could be quite logical for him to do so. We are kind of attached to his attachment to the city. Many of us share that with him. Its weird, but it makes sense.

The irony is that many of us may never have found this board if we still lived in Milwaukee and had people around us willing and able to fire off some cogent Bucks Takes.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

The whole loyalty thing with Giannis is kind of weird. Yes, it is the same fan base but what is he loyal to? He isn't from here, he didn't ask to come here, the owners have completely changed, the management has completely turned over, the coaching staff has changed over several times, he is the only guy remaining from his rookie season, the practice center has changed, the stadium has changed, even 95% if the people in the stadium have changed over. I'm kind of over him needing to be loyal, just as long as he doesn't go the AD route or **** on the city on the way out.

You raise some fair points. And we romanticize this stuff, unquestionably.

But we do form attachments to the regions we live in, and the places we have been. Its human.

Giannis made a home here, for whatever reasons and factors played a part. And its endearing to many who have spent time in Milwaukee and been fond of that time.

Sure he can leave at any time and it could be quite logical for him to do so. We are kind of attached to his attachment to the city. Many of us share that with him. Its weird, but it makes sense.

The irony is that many of us may never have found this board if we still lived in Milwaukee and had people around us willing and able to fire off some cogent Bucks Takes.

For the majority of the past 25 years, the bolder part is irrelevant. There was no cogent Bucks takes from anyone I know in Milwaukee

[ReasonablySober]

Read on Twitter

Sheesh.

[BroncoBuck]

Lowe’s latest podcast really shined the light on the cap circumvention wording from the league. I really don’t see any way the Clippers get out of this one.

The clause in there about implied or inferred cap circumvention seems like the kill shot.

[emunney]

Read on Twitter

Sheesh.

Craziest useless pass I've ever seen, and I've seen Ben Simmons.

[ReasonablySober]

Read on Twitter

But multiple sources with knowledge of Toronto’s contract negotiations with Leonard in 2019 told the Star that Leonard’s uncle and representative, Dennis Robertson, made demands that line up almost perfectly with what Leonard reportedly got from Aspiration. According to those sources, who were granted anonymity in order to speak freely about the negotiations, Robertson’s list was long, and absurd. It included a trade for George, which featured an exorbitant price tag. It included a slice of ownership of the Toronto Maple Leafs, which Robertson was told was impossible.

But two details stand out, in retrospect. One, Robertson asked for ownership stakes in outside companies: not just the Leafs, which he seemed to believe was separate, but with other companies with whom MLSE had a relationship. And two, the Raptors were told they needed to match at least $10 million per year in extra sponsorship income. Teams are allowed to introduce players to team sponsors; teams cannot negotiate deals, and MLSE was aware of that fact.

But it didn’t end there. As one source put it, when told about all the corporate sponsors in Toronto who would be happy to have Leonard as a pitchman, his camp said, “We don’t want to do anything.” Raptors representatives said any sponsor would want to shoot ads or arrange appearances; Robertson reiterated Leonard didn’t want to do anything for the money.

That’s when the Raptors realized Leonard wasn’t asking to be introduced to Toronto’s lucrative corporate community; they were being asked to arrange no-show jobs, and arrange no-investment investments. MLSE rejected both proposals.

LAC and Ballmer are so screwed.

[humanrefutation]

I knew the Clippers were screwed when Ballmer decided to go on television immediately to try to deny responsibility. He "doth protest too much" and all that. And even Cuban seemed taken aback by the amount of information Pablo unearthed.

If I was advising the Clips, I'd go to the league and offer a settlement of some kind. Don't even bother to let them keep digging.

[emunney]

Uncle Dentist has fall guy written all over him. He's going to get banned from representing NBA players.

[ReasonablySober]

Uncle Dentist has fall guy written all over him. He's going to get banned from representing NBA players.

I don't think he's actually representing anyone, though. Like he's not an officially licensed agent.

[humanrefutation]

Uncle Dentist has fall guy written all over him. He's going to get banned from representing NBA players.

Dennis only "advises" Kawhi, so I doubt that banning him from representing anyone else will mean anything. He's also not the one who is held to the CBA. That's Kawhi and Ballmer/Clippers.

If there is a "fall guy," it'll be Lawrence Frank. But I think the Clippers will end up eating some fines and draft pick losses too. I'm not sure what the league will do to Kawhi, though. A significant suspension is probably most feasible.

[j_hilge444]

Lol - yah, the dude is just Kawhi's uncle, not an agent.

[BroncoBuck]

I just don’t understand what Aspiration’s agency would be in an Uncle Dennis sham deal. There’s no reason to pay Kawhi 10X what they were paying other celebrities, especially when he didn’t do any promotion. It doesn’t make any sense. It has to be tied to the Clippers one way or another.

[BUCKnation]

Seems like Kawhi got his ring as the alpha, got a few months with the 'crown' and can't be asked ever since. All this makes it look like him and uncle dennis are just using his power to scam for millions with little to no work. Wouldn't be surprised if all the of load management stuff is him just not giving a f***.

[MickeyDavis]

Read on Twitter

[raferfenix]

Kawhi forcing his way out of San Antonio then walking on the championship Raptors while pulling this ish is something else.

Yes Ballmer made a corrupt bargain which I suspect Uncle Dennis knew was a possibility early on in the process.

But fans root for players and Leonard betrayed the trust of 2 small market fan bases for the worst of all possible reasons.

"We don’t want to do anything."

Colors the entire load management era to have a demand for no-show jobs documented like this.

[tonyreyes123]

Kawhi and his uncle are dickheads. Void his contract already

[KidA24]

I just don’t understand what Aspiration’s agency would be in an Uncle Dennis sham deal. There’s no reason to pay Kawhi 10X what they were paying other celebrities, especially when he didn’t do any promotion. It doesn’t make any sense. It has to be tied to the Clippers one way or another.

$2,000,0000