“Got Skeleton in Their Closets”: Clippers to Get Away Unpunished Even if Proved Guilty, Predicts Analyst

The NBA’s investigation into Kawhi Leonard and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is ongoing, and Pablo Torre has already dropped the second allegation. The investigative reporter alleges another ‘no-show’ contract involving Daktronics, the company associated with the Intuit Dome’s video board, similar to a $28 million “no-show” endorsement with now bankrupt Aspiration. But will the player and the franchise come away unscathed?

“Steve Ballmer is not about to get in crazy trouble,” said Emmy-winning anchor/host Kelvin Washington on The Odd Couple podcast. “We talk about it all the time. Richest owner in the league just built this beautiful Intuit Dome. Adam Silver doesn’t come down on anybody about anything, and so nothing’s gonna happen. And I also think the owners, Rob, I think the owners who would have to get involved in this.

“I don’t think they want you to make a big fuss about it if Adam Silver say to the owners, ‘Hey, what do you guys wanna do?’ Because I think they got skeleton in their closets. I think they’ve got some things that they’ve done.”

Washington speculates that other owners may have their own questionable arrangements, not necessarily related to cap circumvention. So, going after Ballmer and the Clippers could create a precedent that eventually exposes them.

He even used sarcastic suggestions from the owners, “I think they’re like, ‘Look, just fine, Steve Ballmer, a couple bucks. He’s got it; he’s good for it. Maybe Kawhi has to miss a few games, and we move on.'”

He is not the only one who thinks the punishment will be lenient if the charges of cap circumvention are proved. Stephen A. Smith has boldly called for the suspension of both Kawhi Leonard and Steve Ballmer. But even the ESPN broadcaster was unsure if Adam Silver would make that call against the Clippers.

“You confiscate the draft picks from the Clippers, but you also suspend Steve Ballmer from appearing in games. I can’t imagine Adam Silver going that far, but this may call for that because you know what everybody’s gonna think.”

Even Pablo Torre, who first broke the news and alleged a salary circumvention issue with the Aspiration deal, felt there was a chance that the Clippers owner would not be in deep trouble.

“And so by any standard of fake NBA law, because these are all fake laws, these are all collectively bargained rules that you’ve gotta enforce, I think everything should be on the table,” Torre said on the Dan Patrick Show.

“Realistically, in terms of the money and if you follow it, I think there’s a very real chance that Steve Ballmer emerges relatively unscathed, which is kind of insane to me.”

Torre also stated that he has already spoken with and submitted documents to the law firm Wachtell, which was hired by the NBA to look into the Aspiration deal.

Last month, Silver was hopeful that the investigation would be closed before the season began.

But the second alleged deal, which has recently come to light, might change the plan altogether.

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