Pablo Torre: Did Clippers Circumvent Salary Cap w/ Kawhi?

[Donoghus]

Exclusive: Kawhi Leonard signed a $28M endorsement deal for a "no-show job" with a fraudulent tree-planting company funded by $50M from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, according to documents obtained by @PabloTorre.

"It was to circumvent the salary cap," an inside source says.

https://x.com/pablofindsout/status/1963180670810767577?s=46&t=cFAQIuWEg12FaJRo2itehw

[Roy H.]

Exclusive: Kawhi Leonard signed a $28M endorsement deal for a "no-show job" with a fraudulent tree-planting company funded by $50M from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, according to documents obtained by @PabloTorre.

"It was to circumvent the salary cap," an inside source says.

https://x.com/pablofindsout/status/1963180670810767577?s=46&t=cFAQIuWEg12FaJRo2itehw

Based upon this blurb, if it's true, the Clippers should be looking at a Joe Smith type penalty.

[slamtheking]

Exclusive: Kawhi Leonard signed a $28M endorsement deal for a "no-show job" with a fraudulent tree-planting company funded by $50M from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, according to documents obtained by @PabloTorre.

"It was to circumvent the salary cap," an inside source says.

https://x.com/pablofindsout/status/1963180670810767577?s=46&t=cFAQIuWEg12FaJRo2itehw

Based upon this blurb, if it's true, the Clippers should be looking at a Joe Smith type penalty.

should also include a forced sale of the team

[Amonkey]

Exclusive: Kawhi Leonard signed a $28M endorsement deal for a "no-show job" with a fraudulent tree-planting company funded by $50M from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, according to documents obtained by @PabloTorre.

"It was to circumvent the salary cap," an inside source says.

https://x.com/pablofindsout/status/1963180670810767577?s=46&t=cFAQIuWEg12FaJRo2itehw

I read an article and it said that they confirmed the company, but went through their records and didn't see Leonard doing any work or even endorsement of said company. Basically there is no evidence that he did anything on the company. Also apparently on their contract, it mentions that Leonard doesn't need to do any work and the contract is void if he leaves the Clippers. Sounds very suspicious.

For punishment, could a punishment that hurts the team, but not the players, be a reduced salary cap of $28 million for X amount of years? That way they are limited on the way they can pay players and putting them on a tough situation.

[Moranis]

My first thought was how many no show jobs are the Clippers going to pay Kawhi for.  I mean he barely plays as is.

[Donoghus]

The other thing to keep in mind is that the Clippers don't exactly an abundance of future 1st round picks here.  If the league were to do a Joe Smith punishment there, they'd have to go well into the 2030s to punish the team.

[kraidstar]

There were whispers about this when Kawhi was a free agent. Some Raptors-affiliated people on the radio were talking derisively about these "business opportunities" in LA, and how these opportunities would be "good for Kawhi's family" too.

They didn't outright say it but i got the impression they thought the Clippers were violating the salary cap.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

My first thought was how many no show jobs are the Clippers going to pay Kawhi for.  I mean he barely plays as is.

Touche. And TP.

[kraidstar]

Posted this back in 2019:

Just read an article that strongly insinuated that Kawhi's camp was asking the Raptors for things that would have circumvented the salary cap:

"(Kawhi's) Uncle Dennis was asking for the moon, or something equivalent, from any pursuing franchise. Things Ujiri – and those above him – either couldn’t, or wouldn’t offer. Things beyond just straight greenbacks.

It’s here that we might point out that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is worth somewhere around $50 billion U.S. We’ll put this as delicately as possible. Free agency and tampering in the NBA continues to spin out of control and it’s all but impossible to enforce gifts or promises to family members. There’s no evidence to suggest that happened here, just that it wouldn’t shock anyone in this day and age, given the deep pockets of some owners."

Pretty interesting. The fact that they asked for all this strange stuff makes you wonder what they were promised in LA. And I wonder if LeBron secured some special business assurances from the Lakers and their allies when he went to the Lakers. We always hear about athletes wanting to build their brand etc. But what if teams and business entities are effectively funneling cash their way, circumventing the salary cap?

[Celtics2021]

Exclusive: Kawhi Leonard signed a $28M endorsement deal for a "no-show job" with a fraudulent tree-planting company funded by $50M from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, according to documents obtained by @PabloTorre.

"It was to circumvent the salary cap," an inside source says.

https://x.com/pablofindsout/status/1963180670810767577?s=46&t=cFAQIuWEg12FaJRo2itehw

If Kawhi got $28 million of $50 million given to this fake company, where did the other $22 million go?

[DefenseWinsChamps]

They should put them in the second apronrepeater penalties for the next 3 years.

[aefgogreen]

Exclusive: Kawhi Leonard signed a $28M endorsement deal for a "no-show job" with a fraudulent tree-planting company funded by $50M from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, according to documents obtained by @PabloTorre.

"It was to circumvent the salary cap," an inside source says.

https://x.com/pablofindsout/status/1963180670810767577?s=46&t=cFAQIuWEg12FaJRo2itehw

I read an article and it said that they confirmed the company, but went through their records and didn't see Leonard doing any work or even endorsement of said company. Basically there is no evidence that he did anything on the company. Also apparently on their contract, it mentions that Leonard doesn't need to do any work and the contract is void if he leaves the Clippers. Sounds very suspicious.

Yeah, saying "you don't have to do anything if you don't want to," doesn't look good.  Honestly they should have told him he'd have to make a few appearances to cover themselves.  It's not like he doesn't have the time - he never plays.

[Celtics4ever]

The funny thing is, it still won't win them a title.

[Ilikesports17]

Exclusive: Kawhi Leonard signed a $28M endorsement deal for a "no-show job" with a fraudulent tree-planting company funded by $50M from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, according to documents obtained by @PabloTorre.

"It was to circumvent the salary cap," an inside source says.

https://x.com/pablofindsout/status/1963180670810767577?s=46&t=cFAQIuWEg12FaJRo2itehw

Based upon this blurb, if it's true, the Clippers should be looking at a Joe Smith type penalty.

should also include a forced sale of the team

Rules are outlines reasonably well in this article

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kawhi-leonard-contract-nba-clippers-steve-ballmer-uncle-dennis-no-show-job/

The relevant chunk:

Well, that depends on what sort of violation is committed. Article XIII, Section 1 of the CBA covers "General Prohibitions" when it comes to circumvention. Section 2 covers "Unauthorized Agreements." The CBA separately lists possible penalties for violations of Section 1 and Section 2 within Section 3. A Section 1 violation would seemingly carry a more lenient penalty, potentially including the following at the commissioner's discretion:

    A fine of up to $4.5 million for a first offense.
    A fine of up to $5.5 million for the second and any subsequent offenses.
    The forfeiture of one first-round draft pick.
    Contracts or transactions that violated league rules can be voided.

However, a Section 2 violation could potentially carry more significant penalties:

    A fine of up to $7.5 million.
    A suspension of up to one year for any team personnel found to be willfully engaged in the violation.
    Contracts or transactions that violated league rules can be voided.
    The forfeiture of draft picks.

this seems like more of section 2 to me.

[slamtheking]

Exclusive: Kawhi Leonard signed a $28M endorsement deal for a "no-show job" with a fraudulent tree-planting company funded by $50M from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, according to documents obtained by @PabloTorre.

"It was to circumvent the salary cap," an inside source says.

https://x.com/pablofindsout/status/1963180670810767577?s=46&t=cFAQIuWEg12FaJRo2itehw

Based upon this blurb, if it's true, the Clippers should be looking at a Joe Smith type penalty.

should also include a forced sale of the team

Rules are outlines reasonably well in this article

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kawhi-leonard-contract-nba-clippers-steve-ballmer-uncle-dennis-no-show-job/

The relevant chunk:

Well, that depends on what sort of violation is committed. Article XIII, Section 1 of the CBA covers "General Prohibitions" when it comes to circumvention. Section 2 covers "Unauthorized Agreements." The CBA separately lists possible penalties for violations of Section 1 and Section 2 within Section 3. A Section 1 violation would seemingly carry a more lenient penalty, potentially including the following at the commissioner's discretion:

    A fine of up to $4.5 million for a first offense.
    A fine of up to $5.5 million for the second and any subsequent offenses.
    The forfeiture of one first-round draft pick.
    Contracts or transactions that violated league rules can be voided.

However, a Section 2 violation could potentially carry more significant penalties:

    A fine of up to $7.5 million.
    A suspension of up to one year for any team personnel found to be willfully engaged in the violation.
    Contracts or transactions that violated league rules can be voided.
    The forfeiture of draft picks.

this seems like more of section 2 to me.

while a forced team sale isn't listed as a penalty, if ever there was a case for a commissioner to step in and force one for the good of the game, this would be it.