Some observations:
Do I think that Ballmer was complicit in this side deal with Kawai? Yes, I do.
Do I think that anyone will find a “smoking gun” proving Ballmer’s complicity? Probably not.
Do I think that other NBA teams engage in similar chicanery? I absolutely do. At the very least, they push and push the boundaries of what they can get away with, dancing along some nebulous cut-off line but also frequently crossing it when they think they can get away with it.
Do I think that the Clippers will be punished? I think there’s a reasonable possibility that they may be slapped with a token punishment, depending on how things shake out, but not much more than that, and nothing remotely close to what the Timberwolves got back in the day.
Do I think that Ballmer was scammed? No, I don’t. But I do enjoy the irony that a billionaire Master of the Universe who, as a member of a class that sees itself as Galaxy Brained and separate from the rest of humanity, is invoking stupidity as his defense. (As an aside, billionaires are human and as prone to being fooled/scammed and making dumb decisions as anyone else. The greatest secret to wealth in the world is convincing the uber-wealthy that something will enhance their status; they’ll queue up and compete with each other to spend ridiculous amounts of money on it, no matter how scammy it is.)
Do I think that billionaires or the uber-rich routinely engage in illegal, unethical, and immoral acts, such as this, or much worse? Yes, I do. It’s as natural to them as breathing, because they know they will get away with it. With limitless wealth and power comes limitless license and sense of entitlement. They play by an entirely different set of rules than we plebs.
Do I think that Ballmer and the Clippers have been foolish to invest so much money in Kawai? Oh, yes, I do. Rarely in the history of the NBA—or perhaps professional sports in general—has so much been paid for so little return, and the outcome was entirely predictable. I’m continually amazed by how often NBA owners pour vast sums into players with long, well-documented injury histories or other fatal flaws that make a good return on investment highly unlikely. These are wealthy, presumably intelligent men, yet they seem prone to an almost willful self-delusion: convincing themselves that this time things will be different, despite a complete lack of precedent.
Each of us should aspire to Kawai’s situation: lavish pay and perks for a job that demands neither effort nor genuine commitment. Consistently fall short of expectations? Simply demand a raise, securing even more money and long-term security—still without a hint of accountability. It’s a dream role: highly paid, no accountability, and no consequences. What a job! What a life!
It’s tempting to blame Kawai for his chronic lack of professional pride, accountability, and shame, but honestly, who among us would refuse such terms? The “Galaxy-Brained Master of the Universe” is the decision-maker enabling—and rewarding—this epic fleecing.
