Pablo Torre: Kawhi/Clippers/Ballmer/Aspiration Thread (part 2)

[Old_Blue]

This is the Silvers Epstein files. It ain't going away.

Is Kawhi the underage girl in this scenario?

Watch on YouTube

[og15]

The owners collectively agreed to a CBA that is almost singularly intended to prevent Ballmer from having a competitive advantage. Pretty sure they won't be ok with him circumventing the cap, regardless of what douchebags like Ishbia and Cuban are trying to sell.

1. Unfortunately, it seems likely that you can after all find 8 douchebags like Cuban and Ishbia, and it would somehow limit what the NBA can do with Ballmer.

2. Also, considering:

- ESPN downplaying the whole scandal,
- Silver being very 'defensive' about everything Aspiration-related,
- Cuban and Ishbia willing to make idiots out of themselves by the way they defend Ballmer,
- intel about potentially very long investigation incoming,

it's hard not to suspect what is the ultimate goal here. But maybe I'm pessimistic, you don't need a 3/4 majority to punish Ballmer for cap circumvention, this is correct.

It seems to always be long, so I'm not sure that it means much:

When the New York Knicks were investigated for tampering on Jalen Brunson, for instance, that investigation opened on Aug. 6, 2022 and closed on Dec. 21, 2022. For the 76ers with P.J. Tucker and Danuel House, the investigation opened on Jul 29, 2022 and closed on Oct. 31, 2022. Essentially, even a tampering investigation typically takes four or five months. A cap circumvention investigation, especially one featuring a bankrupt company and criminal proceedings, is substantially more complicated and may well involve CBA-induced arbitration. This very likely isn't getting solved before the season begins. For all we know, it might not get solved before the season even ends.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kawhi-leonard-investigation-what-potential-punishments-could-mean-for-the-clippers-steve-ballmer-and-the-nba/

[AmusingFiddle]

AI Derived Answer:

My Expert Opinion: Yes, Circumvention Can Be Reasonably Deduced

As someone well-versed in NBA economics and labor rules (drawing from the CBA's strict anti-circumvention provisions, which have snared teams like the Knicks in 2019 for similar "sweetheart" deals), I can deduce—based on the publicly available evidence—that Ballmer and the Clippers likely engaged in salary cap circumvention, even if unintentionally at first. Here's my step-by-step reasoning:

Suspicious Structure of the Deal: A $28 million "endorsement" for a player with Leonard's low-profile persona (he's notoriously media-averse) that requires minimal/no actual work, tied explicitly to his tenure with the Clippers, screams cap dodge. This mirrors historical circumventions, like back-loaded contracts or third-party payments, which the NBA has cracked down on to preserve parity.f145c0 The void-if-leaves clause further ties it to team loyalty, not genuine marketing value.

Timing and Financial Flow: Ballmer's $50 million Aspiration investment predates Leonard's deal by mere months, followed by $118 million in team/owner funds. This isn't coincidental—it's a clear pipeline for off-books compensation, especially since Aspiration (a niche carbon credit firm) had no obvious synergy with Leonard's brand beyond facilitating payments. If it were legit, why the layered LLCs and bankruptcy red flags?

Insider Testimony and Patterns: The Aspiration employee's direct claim of cap circumvention adds credibility to the report, corroborated by document leaks.210a9b Ballmer's history as a billionaire innovator (ex-Microsoft CEO) suggests sophistication in structuring deals, making the "duped" defense feel like a convenient pivot—especially post-bankruptcy, when scrutiny intensified.

Broader Context: The Clippers have aggressively chased contention under Ballmer (e.g., the 2019 Kawhi/PG13 trade, Intuit Dome build), often testing CBA edges. This fits a pattern of owners pushing boundaries, but the NBA's investigation signals they crossed a line.

Defenses from peers like Suns owner Mat Ishbia notwithstanding, the league rarely launches formal probes without probable cause.

That said, this isn't ironclad—Ballmer's denial and the "duped" narrative could hold if Aspiration's execs are proven the sole malefactors (e.g., via criminal fallout). The investigation's opacity (due to legal entanglements) leaves room for exoneration. But on balance, the evidence tilts heavily toward deliberate (or willfully blind) circumvention to keep Leonard happy without cap hits. If the NBA rules against them, expect meaningful sanctions to deter copycats. Until then, it's a black eye on Ballmer's otherwise stellar ownership tenure.

Sent from my SM-S938U1 using RealGM mobile app

[jscott]

They didn’t even send out a press release saying Kawhi was an endorser. That screams red flag to me.

[Enso]

Should be addressed soon, doubt league will allow this to go into the season and be a distraction. Reporters will keep asking about it.

[Mephariel]

The owners collectively agreed to a CBA that is almost singularly intended to prevent Ballmer from having a competitive advantage. Pretty sure they won't be ok with him circumventing the cap, regardless of what douchebags like Ishbia and Cuban are trying to sell.

1. Unfortunately, it seems likely that you can after all find 8 douchebags like Cuban and Ishbia, and it would somehow limit what the NBA can do with Ballmer.

2. Also, considering:

- ESPN downplaying the whole scandal,
- Silver being very 'defensive' about everything Aspiration-related,
- Cuban and Ishbia willing to make idiots out of themselves by the way they defend Ballmer,
- intel about potentially very long investigation incoming,

it's hard not to suspect what is the ultimate goal here. But maybe I'm pessimistic, you don't need a 3/4 majority to punish Ballmer for cap circumvention, this is correct.

It seems to always be long, so I'm not sure that it means much:

When the New York Knicks were investigated for tampering on Jalen Brunson, for instance, that investigation opened on Aug. 6, 2022 and closed on Dec. 21, 2022. For the 76ers with P.J. Tucker and Danuel House, the investigation opened on Jul 29, 2022 and closed on Oct. 31, 2022. Essentially, even a tampering investigation typically takes four or five months. A cap circumvention investigation, especially one featuring a bankrupt company and criminal proceedings, is substantially more complicated and may well involve CBA-induced arbitration. This very likely isn't getting solved before the season begins. For all we know, it might not get solved before the season even ends.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kawhi-leonard-investigation-what-potential-punishments-could-mean-for-the-clippers-steve-ballmer-and-the-nba/

You mean that is how the real world operates when it comes to company investigations? Don't tell the kids here.

[jscott]

Should be addressed soon, doubt league will allow this to go into the season and be a distraction. Reporters will keep asking about it.

They claim post-All Star Game.

Maybe they should just watch PTFO. They’ve got all the dirt anyway.

[MartyConlonJr]

Will be very interesting with the 2026 All-Star game at Intuit Dome of LAC. Either you don't conclude the investigation before and it is all everyone talks about, or you do and the outcome is likely to hang over the weekend.

[drekwins]

Should be addressed soon, doubt league will allow this to go into the season and be a distraction. Reporters will keep asking about it.

I don’t think that the NBA believes that. It’s obvious that all ESPN reporting is compromised. This is going to have to be driven by the Barstools, Pablo’s, other independents and, perhaps, larger reporting outlets (New York Times, Washington Post, etc.).

I used to believe in independent media and integrity. With that said, we are seeing an attack on that institution as more and more media outlets partner with the organizations that they report on, instead of remaining objective, with scrutinization. I’m sure that they believe that they can help each other succeed by playing nice together. It’s less risky. Guaranteed $$$ for both.

This is why we need competition and non-monopolized industries in America… especially in the press. To keep everyone in check. There should be 50 top reporters gunning for this story to find out every little detail and expose it… doing so would propel their career. Yet, it feels like 95% are compromised and lack the drive + integrity to do so. It’s a sad time.

[AFM]

Stern would have had everyone involved publicly flogged and exiled like Napoleon by now.

[jscott]

Should be addressed soon, doubt league will allow this to go into the season and be a distraction. Reporters will keep asking about it.

I don’t think that the NBA believes that. It’s obvious that all ESPN reporting is compromised. This is going to have to be driven by the Barstools, Pablo’s, other independents and, perhaps, larger reporting outlets (New York Times, Washington Post, etc.).

I used to believe in independent media and integrity. With that said, we are seeing an attack on that institution as more and more media outlets partner with the organizations that they report on, instead of remaining objective, with scrutinization. I’m sure that they believe that they can help each other succeed by playing nice together. It’s less risky. Guaranteed $$$ for both.

This is why we need competition and non-monopolized industries in America… especially in the press. To keep everyone in check. There should be 50 top reporters gunning for this story to find out every little detail and expose it… doing so would propel their career. Yet, it feels like 95% are compromised and lack the drive + integrity to do so. It’s a sad time.

Agreed. I really feel like there is room in the market for a factual news outlet (but then it would probably be purchased by Ellison or someone after it gained any sort of traction.)

We need more people not driven purely by money/profit.

[Roscoe Sheed]

Stern would have had everyone involved publicly flogged and exiled like Napoleon by now.

Stern was far from a paragon of integrity- the most horrendous officiating occurred during his tenure (93 Suns vs. Sonics, 02 Lakers vs. Kings, 06 Mavs vs Heat), he let Sterling stay as owner despite all of his poor conduct and allowed the Sonics to move out of Seattle. He definitely had a crooked side to him as well.

[Ryoga Hibiki]

Stern would have had everyone involved publicly flogged and exiled like Napoleon by now.

Stern was far from a paragon of integrity- the most horrendous officiating occurred during his tenure (93 Suns vs. Sonics, 02 Lakers vs. Kings, 06 Mavs vs Heat), he let Sterling stay as owner despite all of his poor conduct and allowed the Sonics to move out of Seattle. He definitely had a crooked side to him as well.

don't forget how he managed the ref scandal

[og15]

Stern would have had everyone involved publicly flogged and exiled like Napoleon by now.

Stern was far from a paragon of integrity- the most horrendous officiating occurred during his tenure (93 Suns vs. Sonics, 02 Lakers vs. Kings, 06 Mavs vs Heat), he let Sterling stay as owner despite all of his poor conduct and allowed the Sonics to move out of Seattle. He definitely had a crooked side to him as well.

He was allegedly going to somehow allow Jordan to go to the Knicks on a cap circumventing offer because Jordan was a special case due to the magnitude of his stardom.

Stern had a more heavy hand, but integrity wise, one would have a much better case for Silver who is a more by the book guy. What Silver is not is a hard handed type of guy. People might be elevating Stern to something he was not.

[lonzo_pelota]

When is Uncle Dennis going to speak and give his input, He's an alleged nefarious smoking gun collecting funds in this equation.

[og15]

When is Uncle Dennis going to speak and give his input, He's an alleged nefarious smoking gun collecting funds in this equation.

Why would he say anything? He's quite happy in the background getting his money

[Mavrelous]

What a **** show...
This can't be swept under the rug.

Watch on YouTube

[brutalitops]

Put option on the stock guaranteed by the founder. Jesus

[Mavrelous]

To summarize:
1. The options Kawhi got, were guaranteed put options.
2. It wasn't just uncle Dennis, who is being portrayed as the only villain, Leonard's official agent was making payment demands to Aspiration.
3. After Joe Sandberg, the man Ballmer claims defrauded him, was indicted, late in 2024, Ballmer made a donation to Sandberg's charity.
And all of it is documented and available for the NBA and Wachtal Lipton to see, I'm also extremely happy that Shelbourne and Windhorst, displayed in this video, are being exposed for who they actually are, hired pens and hack writers acting as PR for Steve Ballmer.

[Zeno]

At this point, the expression “smoking gun” should be changed to ‘smoking Balmer’ in people’s vocabulary