Clippers be cheating

[Handlogten's Heros]

My initial thought is that there will be multiple draft picks lost, Balmer and others given a year long suspension, and Kawhi forfeiting some money.

Then I go to ESPN and this isn't even on their front page...

Yeah... they got Shams talking about all star formats and **** lol. Simmons hasn't said anything... I give Pablo a ton of credit as he has potential to get smacked with all sorts of legal shenanigans. Others are ducking the smoke here in a way that feels... coordinated?

 

[TheGoldStandard]

I think those employees that came forward end up getting approached about some generous NDAs. They came forward anonymously.

That would make it worse, especially if Ballmer was behind it. NDAs won't prevent what is already out of the bag.

 

[infection]

That would make it worse, especially if Ballmer was behind it. NDAs won't prevent what is already out of the bag.

Two things that readily come to mind:

First,

View: https://youtu.be/yMxY0Lxo_ow?si=ge81pa5XICopXPOl


And second,

 

[Rubashov]

Balmer should be forced out and Kawhi suspended for 1 full season without pay... Just my opinion.

Once more Kawhi's pay should be forfeited to me!

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

That would make it worse, especially if Ballmer was behind it. NDAs won't prevent what is already out of the bag.

I would assume they would hide the hush money a bit better than the Kawhi money. Nothing is truly out of the bag with the employees yet anyway. It was all anonymous. May not be a hush money situation but maybe just a huge threat of lawsuit that would stop any employees from disclosing info to the nba. There is a big reason they all want to be anonymous. What’s the incentive to say it on the record with your name on it?

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Listened to Zach Lowe on this topic and he covered it well. Some points that don't necessarily align with the comments here:

- This isn't happening all the time. Front offices are careful with this stuff.
- The other teams are very upset about this, this is a very big deal.
- Per the CBA the Clippers can be penalized even if they never find concrete evidence that Balmer was directly involved. They only need circumstantial evidence.

Zach theorized that there will be an extremely thorough investigation and even if they can't uncover anything more than what has been reported then then LAC will be penalized, but obviously will be much more if they can prove this is cap circumvention.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Listened to Zach Lowe on this topic and he covered it well. Some points that don't necessarily align with the comments here:

- This isn't happening all the time. Front offices are careful with this stuff.
- The other teams are very upset about this, this is a very big deal.
- Per the CBA the Clippers can be penalized even if they never find concrete evidence that Balmer was directly involved. They only need circumstantial evidence.

Zach theorized that there will be an extremely thorough investigation and even if they can't uncover anything more than what has been reported then then LAC will be penalized, but obviously will be much more if they can prove this is cap circumvention.

There seems to be some mixed messaging between guys like Zach and ESPN which seems to downplay things.

I think this stuff is happening... Toronto had 15M lined up in other sponsorships for example. I don't see that as all that much different. Of course teams are saying that this stuff doesn't happen... it would be self incriminating to say this stuff is rampant. I think it doesn't happen this directly and in this egregious amount.

I do expect the teams to make a big show of how mad they are... similar to the "hold me back" tough guys. Talk big until its time to throw punches.

I just have zero confidence that the league will get tough on a powerful owner in a huge market. I need to see it to believe it.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

There seems to be some mixed messaging between guys like Zach and ESPN which seems to downplay things.

I think this stuff is happening... Toronto had 15M lined up in other sponsorships for example. I don't see that as all that much different. Of course teams are saying that this stuff doesn't happen... it would be self incriminating to say this stuff is rampant. I think it doesn't happen this directly and in this egregious amount.

I do expect the teams to make a big show of how mad they are... similar to the "hold me back" tough guys. Talk big until its time to throw punches.

I just have zero confidence that the league will get tough on a powerful owner in a huge market. I need to see it to believe it.

I'm not really sure, you could be right. The point that Zach made is that the penalties are so stiff and that the evidence doesn't have to be great, so most teams are too scared to do anything.

I don't know if the league is really scared of Balmer though. The second apron rules were basically designed with him in mind. If there is real evidence out there that Balmer is tied to this, then I think they have to drop the hammer.

I'm guessing this will end with the league not finding anything and LAC only receiving a minor penalty. This will further fuel the conspiracy theories, but could be equally likely that Balmer isn't stupid enough to leave any evidence.

 

[homeytennis]

I'm not really sure, you could be right. The point that Zach made is that the penalties are so stiff and that the evidence doesn't have to be great, so most teams are too scared to do anything.

I don't know if the league is really scared of Balmer though. The second apron rules were basically designed with him in mind. If there is real evidence out there that Balmer is tied to this, then I think they have to drop the hammer.

I'm guessing this will end with the league not finding anything and LAC only receiving a minor penalty. This will further fuel the conspiracy theories, but could be equally likely that Balmer isn't stupid enough to leave any evidence.

His non-denial denial was pretty good.

 

[gomretat]

Listened to Zach Lowe on this topic and he covered it well. Some points that don't necessarily align with the comments here:

- This isn't happening all the time. Front offices are careful with this stuff.
- The other teams are very upset about this, this is a very big deal.
- Per the CBA the Clippers can be penalized even if they never find concrete evidence that Balmer was directly involved. They only need circumstantial evidence.

Zach theorized that there will be an extremely thorough investigation and even if they can't uncover anything more than what has been reported then then LAC will be penalized, but obviously will be much more if they can prove this is cap circumvention.

Any team or owner doing things above board would have to be upset at this. If you can dole out 10 of millions under the table with no consequence it 100% invalidates the salary cap.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Any team or owner doing things above board would have to be upset at this. If you can dole out 10 of millions under the table with no consequence it 100% invalidates the salary cap.

I'm also sure there's some jealousy among the other owners over how rich Balmer is. I think they will want to see him taken down a notch or two. I mean the new CBA was basically designed for the LT thing so the hyper rich owners like Balmer can't forever spend

 

[Shad]

So apparently it was the original 28 million plus another 20 million that was given to Leonard. Balmer's original investment in aspiration: 50 million.

Balmer also went on tv last night to double down on not knowing anything about it.

This could be an insane penalty on the Clippers (and should be) but does the NBA pony up on one of the richest owners in the NBA?

EDIT: Here he is from last night

"These are guys who committed fraud. How would I be able — look, they conned me. They conned me. I made an investment in these guys, thinking it was on the up and up, and they con me. At this stage, I have no ability to predict why they might have done anything they did, let alone the specific contract with Kawhi.”