It started with yelling about toilets. Steve Ballmer was so serious about turning the Los Angeles Clippers into a serious franchise for the first time in their existence that he wanted to make sure no fan ever waited in a long line to use the bathroom when the team opened its new arena. Ballmer's drive to win eventually led the Clippers to courting Kawhi Leonard in free agency, fresh off leading the Toronto Raptors to a 2019 NBA championship. Leonard wanted to live in Los Angeles, yes, but he also wanted Paul George as his running mate, so the Clippers shipped out a boatload of draft picks and future two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to get him.
Leonard's people also made it known that their client wanted the type of big endorsement deals his off-putting, robotic personality couldn't land legitimately. Leonard's now infamous Uncle Dennis Robertson never tried to be subtle about his desire to secure similar off-court bags to the ones Kawhi's contemporaries like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant were landing on their own accord, and leaks of his demands circulated as soon as Leonard hit free agency.
The Clippers became so entangled in pleasing Leonard that it led to blatant salary cap circumvention, first reported by investigative journalist Pablo Torre. The NBA found enough evidence supporting Torre's claims that it hammered the Clippers with the most severe penalty in league history, stripping five future first-round draft picks, suspending executives including Ballmer, and more. That figured to be the end of the story, with the Clippers spending the next decade trying to climb out of the abyss. Torre continued to hint that there was another shoe to drop, and now that it's here, the Clippers might be in much bigger trouble than anyone first believed.
The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the Clippers, according to the New York Times, and it's already issued one subpoena. While the scope of the investigation is unclear for now, the fact that the feds are watching the Clippers for under-the-table dealings potentially makes this a much bigger deal than simply breaking NBA rules.
How does breaking NBA rules amount to a federal crime by the Clippers? While there's a lot left to come out, the main idea is that the Clippers committed some level of fraud. Daktronics was a publicly traded company, the only one of the four tied up in the Leonard scandal to fit that description, while Aspiration, Lockton Insurance, and Boingo Wireless were not. Publicly traded companies have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders to disclose big investments, and it sure feels like that never happened when dealing with Leonard.

#ballmer

The Los Angeles Clippers are still reeling in the aftermath of a cap circumvention scandal. For their part in helping Kawhi Leonard secure millions in off-the-court, "no-show" endorsement deals, the franchise had to give up five first-round picks and $30 million, culminating in one of the most severe penalties in NBA history.
Through it all, Kawhi escaped the scandal relatively unscathed. Besides a $700K fine, he didn't face any major consequences, and even his trade to the Toronto Raptors remains completely untouched. And yet, even now, the Clippers have yet to finalize the trade, leading some executives to suspect they are considering some sort of revenge against Leonard for how he's turned his back on the team.
"The Raptors, I'm told, are eager to consummate the trade after initially placing it on hold July 9 (to guard against a Leonard suspension or the outright voiding of his contract) and still firmly believe that the deal will happen as agreed upon and intended. Ditto for Leonard and his camp," wrote NBA insider Marc Stein. "Yet the delay has naturally led some league observers to wonder aloud whether the Clippers are holding off — or considering something even more drastic — to spite Leonard for so readily accepting the league's punishment rather than invoking his right to pursue an appeal. Any formal appeal within the NBA's auspices in such matters, remember, must be initiated by the player in question rather than the team according to league by-laws."
The Clippers have given up everything for Kawhi, and they set themselves back 10 years just to make him happy. From his very arrival, Kawhi was making outlandish requests and even forced the Clippers to give up five first-round picks (along with future MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) in a deal for Paul George. By the end, the total cost of Leonard's services amounts to 10 first-round picks (not counting SGA), and it was all for a team that never made the Finals.
So when the Clippers were caught holding the bag in the cap circumvention scandal, they naturally expected some level of cooperation from Leonard, someone they moved heaven and earth to appease. Instead, he settled with the NBA right away, avoiding more severe penalties while stripping the Clippers of any power to fight back.

#clippers #leonard #first

A stunning new rumor claims the Los Angeles Clippers might scrap the planned trade sending Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors for a very petty reason.
When Pablo Torre broke the news last year about Clippers management creating shell companies to pay Leonard extra money and win his free agent sweepstakes in 2019, many wondered how severe the punishment for salary cap circumvention would be. Well, the long-awaited hammer dropped last week.
After the NBA found undeniable evidence of illegal violations by the Clippers, the franchise was fined $30 million. Owner Steve Ballmer was suspended from all league and team activities for a year. Clippers President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker was suspended without pay for a year, and President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank was suspended without pay for 6 months. The team was also stripped of five future first-round picks in upcoming seasons.
It is the stiffest penalty in NBA history. However, the one individual involved who got a slap on the wrist was Leonard. After speculation that he could be suspended or have his contract voided, the seven-time All-Star received a $700,000 fine. He also released a statement taking partial ownership of the fiasco.
With the punishment for cap circumvention finalized, the Clippers are expected to complete a previously agreed-upon trade sending the 35-year-old to the Raptors. Or maybe not. It is a bit odd that the two teams haven't completed a deal over a week after the penalty was handed down. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, some around the league believe there is a surprising reason the trade is still in limbo.

#clippers #year #trade

Clippers may be forced to trade $197M elusive 3-time All-Star after Kawhi Leonard punishment originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Clippers were the most talked-about team this offseason, and it was definitely not for the right reasons. The Clippers will enter the season trying to figure out how to maneuver the future of the organization after the NBA dropped the hammer.
LA was caught giving Kawhi Leonard improper benefits over the last few years. As a result, the Clippers lost five first-round draft picks.
"The NBA on Wednesday announced severe punishments for the LA Clippers -- including the loss of five future first-round draft picks, a fine of $30 million and a yearlong suspension of owner Steve Ballmer -- for violating salary cap circumvention rules in a case involving star Kawhi Leonard," ESPN wrote.
The Clippers will try to find ways to get that draft capital back, and it could very well force them into trades they don't want to make. One name that has emerged as a likely trade candidate is three-time All-Star Darius Garland.

#five

The punishment the NBA handed down to the Los Angeles Clippers for circumventing the league salary cap through no-show sponsorship deals signed by Kawhi Leonard is unprecedented in American professional sports.
The Clippers were stripped of five future first-round NBA Draft picks, received one-year suspensions for owner Steve Ballmer and president of business operations Gillian Zucker, and a six-month suspension for president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank. In addition, the Clippers and Ballmer were fined $30 million.
While the draft-pick penalty mirrors the initial penalty for the Minnesota Timberwolves when they developed a scheme to sign Joe Smith in 2000, two of those picks were eventually restored. And the $3.5 million fine is no comparison, even with inflation, to the monetary penalty for the Clippers.
But for David Samson, it still wasn't enough.
Appearing on The Dan Le Batard Show, the former Miami Marlins executive said the severity of the salary cap circumvention called for even harsher punishment, perhaps up to and including firing the executives in question and forcing Ballmer to sell the team.

#show #picks

The NBA leveled an extraordinary punishment against the Los Angeles Clippers in a salary cap circumvention scheme, and in doing so, created a host of questions about what comes next for the team, its ownership and Kawhi Leonard.
The Clippers vowed to vigorously fight the crackdown, but their options are limited.
The league's punishment included suspending owner Steve Ballmer for one year and ordering the team to forfeit five first-round draft picks from 2029-2033 for violating salary cap circumvention rules in a case involving Leonard. In addition, the team was ordered to pay a $30 million fine, while president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was banned six months and team president of business operations Gillian Zucker was benched for one year.
The punishment comes after a nearly yearlong investigation. The Clippers say they will challenge the decision and pursue legal options, but the punishment leaves the organization in a state of flux moving forward.
Here's what to know:

#punishment

Raptors-Clippers' official Kawhi Leonard trade details revealed after NBA finishes investigation originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Clippers have been under investigation for quite some time due to potential payments made to Kawhi Leonard. It has put the entire organization and its offseason under the spotlight as the NBA worked to determine exactly what was going on.
The Clippers planned to trade Leonard back to the Toronto Raptors at the end of June, but the deal was put on hold. On Wednesday, the NBA handed down its punishments.
"The NBA on Wednesday announced severe punishments for the LA Clippers -- including the loss of five future first-round draft picks, a fine of $30 million and a yearlong suspension of owner Steve Ballmer -- for violating salary cap circumvention rules in a case involving star Kawhi Leonard," ESPN wrote.
With the saga finally somewhat behind them, the focus now shifts back to the trade between the two sides. ESPN's Shams Charania believes the deal will be finalized within the next few days.

#investigation #back #deal

Yesterday was a really bad day for the Los Angeles Clippers. The NBA found the franchise guilty of salary-cap circumvention in the Kawhi Leonard case, stripped them of five first-round picks from 2029 through 2033, fined the team $30.0 million, suspended Steve Ballmer for one year, and suspended Lawrence Frank for six months. Leonard was also fined $700,000, incredibly escaping barely harmed in all of this.
The one piece of good news, if we can even call it that, is that the league didn't block Leonard's move back to the Raptors. That trade had been on hold while the investigation was happening, and with the case now finished, the deal can move forward. Toronto had agreed to send Brandon Ingram, Gradey ****** , two unprotected first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a 2027 first-round pick swap for Leonard.
Those five lost first-round picks hurt the most. The Clippers were finally getting close to controlling their own future again starting in 2029, but now they won't make a first-round selection with one of those picks until 2034, although they should get the Raptors' 2031 and 2033 picks. Still, for a team entering a rebuild, that is brutal. Tanking doesn't help much when there is basically no first-round pick waiting for you at the end of the season, since the 2027 pick swap from Toronto is the worst one among the Raptors, the Clippers, and the Thunder, and the 2028 pick goes entirely to OKC.
So if the Clippers can't rely on landing a future franchise player through the Draft, and they also can't use any of their upcoming first-round picks as trade ****** ets since they belong to other teams, they will have to get creative. There are still other ways to find young talent, from taking chances on former high picks to using cap ****** e, trades, the G League, and overlooked free agents.
With almost a decade of Draft problems ahead of them, here are five different ways the Clippers can try to survive this rebuild and find young players without waiting until 2034.

#raptors

Pablo Torre isn't the only one seeking vindication after the NBA dropped the hammer on the Los Angeles Clippers over their salary cap circumvention scheme with Kawhi Leonard. So is Stephen A. Smith.
But while Torre is taking a well-deserved victory lap for showing what is still possible in the field of sports journalism in 2026, even as a largely independent voice, Smith is basking in the glory of his own take that Kawhi Leonard is the worst superstar in the history of sports.
To each his own.
It was in October 2024 that Stephen A. Smith unleashed a rant for the ages, even by his illustrious standards, about the Clippers star. On First Take, he dubbed Leonard the worst superstar in the history of sports.
Stephen A. Smith with a brutal takedown of Kawhi Leonard as the worst superstar ever.

#stephen #worst #superstar

Amid all the noise surrounding Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers after the NBA's ruling, Shams Charania has revealed the status of his move to the Toronto Raptors.
The Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard have been under NBA investigation for salary cap circumvention for nearly a year. The league announced its ruling on Wednesday and it's bad.
The franchise is facing severe punishments including forfeiture of first-round picks and bans for top executives. Leonard himself has gotten off relatively easy with a $700K fine.
Even before all this came out, Kawhi and the Clips had already agreed to move on, and a trade was agreed with the Toronto Raptors. Following the NBA's verdict, there is an update on that situation.
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

#clippers #toronto #ruling #agreed

Boston Celtics star Paul George could have been in a troubling position if the LA Clippers didn't reject his Kawhi Leonard-like demand in 2024.
After spending five seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul George surprised many with his decision to leave the franchise in 2024 free agency.
George signed a four-year, $212 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers after feeling disrespected by the Clippers' lowball offer.
Fast forward to now, and George must be thankful the Clippers rejected his demands after Kawhi Leonard was found guilty of salary cap circumvention.
Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

#paul #leonard #boston #philadelphia

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is expected to leave and join his former team, the Toronto Raptors, once a previously agreed trade goes through.
Leonard was hit with a $700,000 fine for his role in the Clippers' cap-circumvention deal, while the LA franchise got a massive penalty, including a loss of picks and suspensions for the Clippers' higher-ups.
Now that the NBA has ruled on Leonard and the Clippers, both parties can move forward with the trade the Clippers and Raptors agreed to.
Apr 8, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) reacts after a missed basket in the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
In his statement, Leonard accepted responsibility for people representing him making these illegal advances in the NBA.

#raptors #agreed

With Kawhi Leonard facing just a $700K fine following the NBA's salary cap circumvention investigation, Stephen A. Smith has gone all in on calling him out.
The NBA has made an example of the Los Angeles Clippers at the end of their investigation into the team circumventing the league's salary cap to pay Kawhi Leonard.
Losing five first-round picks is no joke, and the franchise's top brass have all picked up suspensions too. Kawhi Leonard, though, will only be receiving a fine of $700,000.
This has raised some eyebrows within the NBA world, but it's not entirely surprising either. While some fans may be okay with it, though, Stephen A. Smith is not.
Photo by Wally Skalij/Getty Images

#kawhi #smith #fine #investigation

The Mavericks' minority owner, Mark Cuban, reacted to the NBA's recent verdict in the Kawhi Leonard salary-cap circumvention controversy with the Clippers.
"Congrats, Pablo," wrote Cuban on X.
NBA fans took to social media and saw the billionaire businessman's two-word response. They flooded the comment section with criticism, calling Cuban out for backtracking on his comments about Pablo Torre, the investigative journalist who first reported the story.
"Not sure how you thought they were innocent. This smelled like rotting fish from the beginning."
"Man…you were so wrong in this one. Always side with the smarter people…Pablo is much smarter than Ballmer. And Pablo actually works for a living."

#pablo #smarter #kawhi #torre

The Los Angeles Clippers finally got an answer on the NBA's cap circumvention investigation, but it's not the one they were hoping for. Despite claiming innocence and complying with the league throughout the process, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver came down with strict penalties, including a $30 million fine, the loss of five draft picks, and suspensions for several Clippers executives.
Instead of accepting their losses, however, the Clippers plan to fight with everything they have. After making their initial statement today, they shared their official email to the Commissioner, in which they called him out on the way this investigation was conducted. According to the Clippers, they worked tirelessly to comply with the league office, committing millions of dollars and many hours to prove their innocence.
"Almost one year ago today, you announced that the league would be investigating podcast allegations that the Los Angeles Clippers engaged in salary cap circumvention by funneling money to Kawhi Leonard through a 'no-show' contract with a Clippers sponsor, Aspiration. In announcing that investigation, you represented that 'due process' and 'a fundamental sense of fairness' would govern the process. You made clear that the 'burden [would be] on the league' to prove any violation through actual evidence, not 'mere appearances.' And you concluded by promising that everyone involved in the investigation would be treated 'the same way I would want to be treated if people were making allegations against me.'"
"Unfortunately, none of those promises have been kept. In the last year, Steve Ballmer has spent nearly $50 million funding an investigation by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz that has stretched far beyond the bounds of what the league set out to investigate, let alone the bounds of 'fundamental fairness.' The Clippers have produced more than 30,000 documents and provided more than 20 witnesses who have sat for 30 interviews."
"Third parties, including Clippers business partners and sponsors, have likewise provided documents, interviews, and statements to investigators. Mr. Ballmer has reimbursed the costs of at least six law firms, many of which were hired at the demand of the league's lawyers. To say the investigation has been a distraction would be an understatement—Clippers employees have spent thousands of hours scouring document repositories, phones, messaging systems, central files, and accounting records, working with counsel, and sitting for interviews. This investigation has permanently strained relationships with key Clippers stakeholders."

#angeles #commissioner #circumvention #innocence

What NBA's Kawhi Leonard-Clippers Punishment Means for Celtics' 2028 Pick originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The NBA did not let the LA Clippers off lightly.
After a nearly year-long investigation, ESPN's Shams Charania revealed that the NBA has stripped the Clippers of five first-round picks as part of the franchise's punishment for violating salary cap circumvention rules related to the 2019 signing of Kawhi Leonard.
The announcement impacts a number of teams, including the Boston Celtics, who control one of LA's future first-round draft picks.
MORE: Is Kevin Durant Going to the Celtics? Debunking Viral Trade Rumor

#celtics #picks #means

The long-awaited results of the NBA's investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers' alleged salary cap circumvention practices were finally released on Wednesday, Sept. 2, and the fallout is just beginning.
Among the punishments handed out, the Clippers must forfeit five first-round draft picks and pay a $30 million fine. Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers' superstar at the heart of the scandal, has been fined $700,000. Additionally, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and president of business operations Gillian Zucker have been suspended by the league for one year. Lawrence Frank, the team's president of basketball operations, has been suspended for six months.
The official investigation report from the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz explicitly lays out why the organization is facing the brunt of the penalties. Throughout the 36-page document, investigators state the three individuals most responsible for the Clippers' rule-breaking are Ballmer, Zucker and Frank, and call out the organization for obfuscating the investigation's efforts.
The report also notes investigators "continue to receive information relevant to the subjects discussed in this report" and will supplement their findings as appropriate. Wachtell Lipton said it conducted 73 interviews of 60 people and reviewed 200,000 pages of documents.
Here are 13 must-read segments from the investigation. Each is quoted directly from the report.

#clippers #report #lipton #president

Mike Vorkunov: Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg threatened to blow up deal when it wasn't yet finalized. He threatened Clippers execs. Ballmer signed off in April 2022, same month Leonard's deal was executed. NBA report said that the explicit link between violates NBA circumvention rules.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: He threatened Clippers execs. Ballmer signed off in …

#threatened

The NBA has stripped the Los Angeles Clippers of five first-round draft picks and fined owner Steve Ballmer $30 million at the conclusion of its probe into alleged salary cap circumvention with Kawhi Leonard.
The league is also fining Leonard $700,000.
The NBA announced the decision Wednesday.
The decision comes months after journalist Pablo Torre unveiled the possible violation during an episode of his podcast, "Pablo Torre Finds Out." During the program, Torre revealed an agreement between Leonard and a now-bankrupt company called Aspiration, in which Ballmer was heavily invested. The agreement paid Leonard $28 million to essentially do nothing. Ballmer was accused of using the $28 million deal as a way to circumvent the NBA salary cap and give Leonard more money to sign with the franchise.
On the day the story originally broke, the Clippers and Ballmer denied any wrongdoing, issuing a statement denying the allegations made by Torre.

#ballmer #salary

LeBron James is the latest NBA player to have his finances come under scrutiny following a new report from Bloomberg that was published on Tuesday. According to the story's headline, "LeBron James Borrowed $300 Million From Insurers Arranged by Guggenheim."
Guggenheim is the financial services firm run by Mark Walter, the guy who owned the Los Angeles Lakers for about a year. He recently sold the team to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger. The Dodgers might be next. You're probably familiar with all that.
MORE: LeBron James leaving Los Angeles looks even better now
If you are familiar with all that, the headline sounds pretty juicy. However, if you actually reading the article it sounds more like LeBron James was doing some basic rich guy stuff. So anyone expecting a year-long investigation into the Lakers committing cap circumvention is going to be disappointed. The story doesn't seem to have anything to do with LeBron choosing or re-signing with the Lakers. Via Bloomberg:
"James' borrowing from the two Midwestern insurers — structured as sales of ***** et-backed bonds — began when he was at the Cleveland Cavaliers and his career was poised for new heights."

#Lakers #insurers #year

Podcaster Pablo Torre had a frank reaction to ESPN's claim that the NBA has found no evidence of cap circumvention between the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard.
Torre's reporting in September 2025 brought the potential cap circumvention between the Clippers and Leonard to light. It launched an NBA investigation that is now nearly a year old.
ESPN revealed that the NBA has found no wrongdoing on the Clippers' and Ballmer's end while recognising the existence of the side sponsorships for Leonard, which had been revealed by Torre.
Torre made a post on X discussing ESPN's report, laying out that the NBA cannot directly link the sponsorships to the Clippers and is instead evaluating their mistakes as a 'failure to supervise,' while also criticising Clippers owner Steve Ballmer's involvement in punishment decisions.
"The subject of the investigation does not get to negotiate with the group that is doing the investigation. But in this case, Steve Ballmer, the richest owner in American sports, has been negotiating a resolution behind the scenes, according to ESPN."

#torre #found

With all the doom and gloom about the future of the stalled Kawhi Leonard trade back to the Toronto Raptors, a scenario has been presented that would see the Raps actually benefiting from the whole kerfuffle.
The June 30 blockbuster deal that was supposed to send Kawhi back to the team with which he won his last NBA championship is on hold. Both the Raptors and the LA Clippers are awaiting the results of the long, drawn-out investigation into the alleged cap circumvention scandal surrounding the Clippers, owner Steve Ballmer and Leonard.
There have been all sorts of scenarios floated that could put the kibosh on Kawhi's return to Toronto. A full-year suspension or having his contract voided are the two leading narratives that naysayers have referred to. However, local beat writer Michael Grange of Sportsnet says that all the clues suggest that Kawhi will wind up with the Raptors when all is said and done. And even more than that, he lays out a scenario where a certain line of severe punishment handed out by the NBA could actually benefit Toronto in the long run.
But first, hear him out as he tries to put Toronto fans at ease about any potential suspension of Kawhi for a huge chunk of the 2026-27 season:
The… commonly cited risk — that Leonard will face a lengthy suspension for his role in the alleged cap circumvention — is something that almost certainly won't come to pass, a matter than has been under-reported or not reported previously.

#toronto #leonard #raptors #long

Pablo Torre reported on yet another potential salary cap circumvention move by Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers. Stephen A. Smith thinks that if it's real, the NBA should be ruthless.
Kawhi Leonard was supposed to be back with the Toronto Raptors by now. The only thing that's stopped him is the ongoing NBA investigation into his time with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Pablo Torre reported in 2025 that Leonard and the franchise had tried to circumvent the league's salary cap. The claim is that they did so by getting him bogus sponsorship money through Aspiration.
Torre added to that this week, with a report suggesting that this same thing had also happened with another team sponsor, Daktronics. It's no surprise that the NBA world is starting to lose its patience.
Photo by Tanner Pearson/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images

#torre

The Los Angeles Clippers and the Toronto Raptors trade for Kawhi Leonard remains in limbo.
Leonard's seven-year tenure with the Clippers appeared to be over after he was traded to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, June 30.
The Raptors were going to send forward Brandon Ingram, guard Gradey ****** , two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033), two second-round picks (2030, 2033) and a 2027 first-round swap to Los Angeles.
Instead, both teams have put a halt to the trade, citing an ongoing investigation.
Leonard, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, and Leonard's uncle/advisor Dennis Robertson are being investigated for their alleged involvement in a "no-show" agreement with a company, Aspiration, to funnel extra compensation to Leonard as part of a salary cap circumvention.

#raptors #leonard #toronto #picks

Pablo Torre is back this week with yet another episode documenting alleged salary cap circumvention by the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers and star forward Kawhi Leonard, the 13th installment of a series that has now stretched nearly a year.
Yet the NBA's investigation appears no closer to being finished than it was last September when it was announced, after a separate report from ESPN this week suggested it could stretch into 2027.
As questions once again intensify around the probe by the NBA's hand-selected law firm and a trade that would have sent Leonard to Toronto remains on pause, Torre challenged the league and commissioner Adam Silver directly in a Thursday appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show.
Torre echoed Le Batard's recent comments claiming the NBA is afraid that Ballmer could undermine the legitimacy of the league office and the collective bargaining agreement with legal challenges.
"What the league is worried about is Steve Ballmer, the richest owner in American sports, fighting in a way that other owners would not have the resources or the inclination to fight," he said.

#league

The LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard are currently under investigation over a possible circumvention of the salary cap rules.
Since the scandal broke last year, the NBA has been conducting an independent investigation into the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard over allegations of salary cap circumvention.
However, even though this investigation is still ongoing, both the LA Clippers and the NBPA (National Basketball Players ****** ociation) have plans to escalate the matter further.
Photo by Tanner Pearson/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images
According to a report by Baxter Holmes of ESPN, sources close to the LA Clippers and the NBPA are going to be keeping an eye on the investigation into Kawhi Leonard.

#clippers #leonard #investigation #however

The Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors remain at a standstill regarding the proposed trade that would bring Kawhi Leonard back to Canada.
Leonard’s seven-year tenure with the Clippers ended after he was traded to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, June 30, for forward Brandon Ingram, guard Gradey ******* , two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033), two second-round picks (2030, 2033) and a 2027 first-round swap.
Both teams have since put a halt to the trade, citing the ongoing investigation surrounding Leonard, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, and Leonard's uncle/advisor Dennis Robertson. All three men were allegedly involved in a “no-show” agreement with a company, Aspiration, to funnel extra compensation to the player as part of a salary cap circumvention.
There’s a belief that both sides are still willing to go through with the deal with the ******* umption that there will be limited consequences for the parties involved.
"My timeline remains this summer," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said when talking to reporters on Thursday, July 14. "... I'm not conducting the investigation … as I've said previously, we all have an interest in wrapping this up, and I most recently said in an interview that I am hopeful it will wrap up this summer and that will continue to be the goal here."

One of the biggest NBA rumors is that the Los Angeles Clippers could potentially trade Kawhi Leonard, but could this transaction get complicated?
Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, has played for the Clippers since 2019. He is entering the final year of his current deal with the franchise, however, which means he could become a free agent at the end of the upcoming season.
Rather than Leonard potentially leaving Los Angeles for no value should he choose to walk, the Clippers front office could consider receiving value back in return for the seven-time NBA All-Star. One rumored destination is the Toronto Raptors, and the two teams are seriously engaged in trade talks, because he would reportedly sign a long-term extension there.
Some are wondering if his trade value get impacted by the NBA's ongoing investigation into Leonard following an alleged cap circumvention scandal. Perhaps the Clippers, or even Leonard, eventually get punished following the probe. Here is more Marc Stein and Jake Fischer (via The Stein Line):
"We have yet to hear any suggestion that a potential Leonard trade would be held up by the league office because the NBA-commissioned external investigation into allegations of salary cap circumvention by the Clippers with respect to Leonard and the franchise's partnership with its former sponsor Aspiration is not yet complete."