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Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by TIME, Jun 24, 2025.

  1. KareemtheGreat33

    KareemtheGreat33 - Lakers Legend -

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    Money in fact can buy anything! Including mediocrity :LLLLLebronlaughing:
     
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  2. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    Don’t need no steenking investigation here do we Kareem? How do you rule? :clap: :D
     
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  3. Astros

    Astros - Rookie -

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    I disagree.

    The NBA represents the owners. I think people lose sight of that. The owners, if they chose to, could shut the NBA down if they all wanted. So the NBA has to appease the owners first.

    If the owners feel that another team is scheming in a way to gain advantage, they're going to try and get to the bottom of it or else they will do it themselves if inaction is taken.

    Another thing is there's a difference with how Kawhi was treated.

    If the clause of his contract stated that he does not have to perform any duties in exchange for the compensation, that he has in fact not done any of it, and that the employees swear under oath that Kawhi was compensated knowing that it was to circumvent the salary cap rules, the NBA would have no choice but to take action just to make an example out of Kawhi so it won't happen again.

    Other endorsers were paid to promote the company. So the allegation is Kawhi was getting paid without performing any duties which leads to if he was getting paid just to get past the salary cap.

    In terms of Balmer directly investing in the company, it's just a very big coincidence. Like, the company you put $65 million in somehow is paying Kawhi Leonard $28 million to do nothing...? And this is on top of reported rumors that Kawhi's family also demanded similar requests from other teams? I'm sure Rob and J.Buss are being asked if these demands were made by Kawhi's uncle and if that's the case, the NBA has enough to do something as it is.
     
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  4. 432J

    432J - Lakers All Star -

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    next 5 1st rounders forfeited, large fine, and suspensions for ballmer, lawrence frank, and michael winger

    but i'm expecting 2-3 forfeited first rounders and a fine at the most. silver is not david stern and ballmer is the league's most powerful owner
     
  5. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    In direct competition with Lakers they cheated big time … for basketball reasons they have to give us Zubac back for vet minimum cap hit to Lakers while they pay rest of his salary next 3 years. :D :rock:
     
  6. FrontOfJersey22

    FrontOfJersey22 - Lakers All Star -

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    8 Firsts
    Kawhi’s contract voided
    Kawhi unable to play this season
    Ballmer forced to sell
    Anything less would be unjust. This is an incredibly bad look for Alien Boy and the NBA. If he goes soft in the punishment, it’s going to look even worse.
     
  7. FrontOfJersey22

    FrontOfJersey22 - Lakers All Star -

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    How is a guy worth $125 Billion even going to feel any fine that the NBA charges him with?
    He won’t.
    It has to really be something that hurts.
     
  8. 432J

    432J - Lakers All Star -

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    nothing will hurt ballmer. and i don't see any scenario in which he's forced to sell

    but stripping the clips of 5 1st round picks will set them back decades and that's what really matters in the end. the goal in punishing the clips is to make sure the other owners know not to pull this s***
     
  9. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    I think the difference is the direct line. Balmer pays them a lot of money, then a lot of money goes directly to Kawhi. When other players get hooked up with companies, there typically isnt an owner cutting a large check to that company. I doubt Lacob cut a huge check to the VC who then wrote a check to KD.

    Also, the fact that this was proven to be a criminal organization that other people used to move money through makes any plausible deniability difficult.
     
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  10. KuzmoBall17

    KuzmoBall17 - Lakers All Star -

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    Lol

    The only condition for receiving $28 million from the fictitious advertising contract with Kawhi Leonard was to remain with the Clippers. Pablo Torre revealed the details of Kawhi Leonard's sponsorship agreement. The Clippers forward signed an advertising contract worth $28 million ($7 million per year) with a company that received direct investments from Steve Ballmer.

    Journalist Pablo Torre outlined the details of the basketball player's obligations under the agreement, which were to be fulfilled only at the organization's request:

    Sign 50 autographs.
    Provide 1 photo/video per month during the NBA season with 15 days' advance notice from the organization.
    Participate with 5 comments/retweets/likes annually.
    Record 2 video messages.
    Leonard had the right to decline any participation that "does not align with his beliefs" and had full control over the materials, which was "unprecedented" for the company, according to an anonymous source.

    At the same time, the company never utilized any of the aforementioned options.

    The only possible condition for non-payment of the fee under the contract was the player's departure from the Clippers.
     
  11. Toklat

    Toklat - Lakers Starter -

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    Disband the clips, ban KL for life. Like LT stated, we get big Z back. Championship. We are winning anyway but that makes it easier.
     
  12. 432J

    432J - Lakers All Star -

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    i think it's funny how aspiration had partnered with the likes of leo, robert downey jr, and drake, yet their biggest sponsorship deal was with kawhi. pretty much says it all in regards to why exactly this "partnership" existed
     
  13. KareemtheGreat33

    KareemtheGreat33 - Lakers Legend -

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    The only apropos punishment I can think of is for Ballmer to sell the Clippers 1 cent on the dollar.
     
  14. svtzr

    svtzr - Lakers Starter -

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    I'm not saying they didn't circumvent the cap. I'm saying that there won't be enough paper trail, that they'll get away with it because it's really hard to prove.

    The founder defrauded up to 250m and many investors, some of which is Balmer's money. They also paid out alot to various partnerships.

    Is it fishy that Balmer invested 50m and 28m went to Kawhi, yes. But it's going to be hard to prove and harder to enforce.

    I could be wrong, but I see the wealthy getting away with alot all the time.
     

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