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Los Angeles, California – 24. July: (LR) President of basketball operations Laurence Frank, Paul George, Paul George and Kawhi’s introductory press for recreation Green Meadovs, 24. July 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: KeVork Djansesian / Getty Images)
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Pablo Torre reported that the Owner of the Los Angeles Steve Ballmer has eased $ 28 million in a double national basketball association in relation to the Basketball Association of MVP Kavhi Leonard, Seismic Story for NBA and professional sports sports.
Listening to his work and construction and investigates financial compliance in sports for years, my immediate reaction was to open Pandora’s box.
I encourage people to watch videoBut for those who preferred a written word, separation of what exactly happened, why it is important and where there are still gaps in the investigation. Leonard, Clippers and League have not yet answered, and should afford the opportunity to perform their investigation.
Inglewood, California – 24. April: Kavhi Leonard # 2 Clippers Los Angeles in the game three of the Western Conference is the first round of the NBA Plej-Payday 24. April 2025 in Insuit in Inglevur, California. (Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
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Player salaries in the NBA are not a free market; There is a collective negotiating agreement with the National Association of Basketballs regulating compensation, colloquially named salaries. In essence, the money that players make playing basketballs are tabulated – by team – and are limited by a number of complex rules. Imagine it as tables, with players in one column and dollars in another.
Money from external sources, such as approvals and investments, are not included. And in this lies incentive for cunning owners: using external entities, and not necessarily subject to the same control for the League and the auditor, in order to facilitate unauthorized payments.
This risk increased only as a team of team attracts independently rich owners with companies and networks that stretch far beyond the NBA or NBPA NBPA applications or NBPA.
Well while the NBA was for years worried about touching – One team courtship under contract with other Vidri, was more focused on the risk of circumventing earnings.
Washington, DC – 16. June: President, Administrative by Jefferson Awards Foundation, Joe Sanberg, speaks to the Avd Awards Foundation 2016. National Ceremony in 2016. June 2016. in Vishington City. (Photo: Larry French / Getty Images for Jefferson Awards Foundation)
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It starts with partners for aspiration, carbon removal company in government coverings. It is a co-founder, Joe Sanberg, has recently marked guilty On charges from the justice department scheme of $ 248 million and aspirations themselves submitted for Chapter 11 Bankrupt.
Bankruptcy submissions received by the Torre Kl2 Aspire LLC list, with Kavhi Leonard as his manager / member, as he owes $ 7 million. This amount, according to the records of Torre, was part of 28 million dollars, November 2021. years, aspiration is implied.
Looking at the alleged contract, the lack of a commercial substance immediately jumps; Even Leonard’s results, like signing 50 pieces of memoration, or like or reposting social content, look completely by his discretion. And if Leonard leaves the marbles, the agreement would be subject to break up.
Clippers and aspiration had an existing business relationship, signing 23-year, 300 million dollars agreement In September 2021. according to Torr, around the same time, Ballmer invested $ 50 million of aspirations.
Hang out, concern is that the aspiration is used for healing money Leonard for basketball that would not be followed in that calculation table of salaries of Pasks Clippers.
Oakland, California – 13. June: Kavhi Leonard # 2 Toronto Raptors Celebrates Larry O’Brien Trophy, after winning golden state warriors to conquer the matches six from 2019. NBA Final 13. June 2019 in Oaklandia. (Photo Lachlan Cunningham / Getty Images)
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When Leonard first chose to play for marbles in 2019 years, Leonard’s camp was reported requested Minimum confirmation warranty.
Now showed the Torre agreement was signed in 2022. years, while Leonard was first chosen by Clippers in 2019. Years. In his investigation, they expect league to consider whether this pursuit was the first of its kind or whether similar agreements with other entities existed 2020. and 2021. years.
It is ironic that most detours, such as drivers, suspensions and fines are, are just a team. One punishment that may affect Leonard – annulment of his 2024-Signed clerk contract – I can actually be a boon. Maximum salaries appear, and Leonard seems to be healthy.
Denver, Colorado – 21. April: Kavhi Leonard looked healthy in the playoff in 2025 (Photography Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)
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Determining the complexity of the market value of approval is challenging. There is no active market, as there is for shares in public companies, and problems appeared in other sports. English Premier League dispute With Manchester City and Commission at college Compensation range There are occurrences for nile.
Ballmer and Clippers could say that the pursuit of the agreement participated independently. They could also point out the lack of evidence that bind the flow of approved funds from the Balker and / or Slider to Leonard. Yes, Balmer seems to have invested in aspiration and that the pursuit seems to have payments and / or obligations for Leonar.
But nothing concrete points to Balmer or Clippers funded the payment of the aspiration of Leonard or directed them to be executed.
In fact, the only connection in everything is whistleblower;
The NBA can consider that these are connected federal sides, a defined term in CBA due to concern about hidden income associated with basketballs. But that definition basically rests on joint control; Was that here?
And while Torre referenced in September 2021. investments, binding that money directly to payments of Leonard could open greater concerns about tax, accounting, company assessment and more.
Oakland, California – 13. June: Raptors Toronto represented a photograph after their team has beaten golden warriors six from 2019. NBA finals 13. June 2019 in Oaklandia, in Oaklandia. In Oaklandia, in Oaklandia. Raptors 2019 could pay more money in Leonard as its current team (Lachlan Cunningham / Getty Images)
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Start with Raptors, Who had a legal birdLike Leonard’s old team, to pay Leonar, more than scissors, so the external payments could bridge that gap. But anger is likely to expand; The salary cap was established to create playback and I would shock if the Adam Silver was 29 angry emails – some without anything but youtube relationship – in his morning.
2000 David Sterna capitaled Minnesota Timbervolves to sign Joe Smith in a series of secret contracts. But this story will not only affect the NBA. NFL and NHL also have salary caps. Main baseball league no, but it has competitive balance taxes and revenue calculation that can fall apart with external transactions.
Dallas, United States: Minnesota Timbervolves, Gary Trent (2nd L) and Kevin Garnett (R) Hodbal, opposite to Dallas Mavericks in the center of Airlines in Dallas, Texas, 21. April 2002 AFP Photo / Paul Buck (Photo / Paul Buck / AFP Via Getty Images)
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Each acquisition carries the risk of misdemeanor of the hidden governments or so-called successor responsibilities. Sports offers are an additional risk of misdemeanor or association, such as, oh, I don’t know, a star player signed with sweeteners out of books. Well-credited displays and guarantees will not help recover lost drafts of chooses or canceled contracts.
By nature, financial compliance regulations limit the free market. And so, by nature, there will always be incentives for rich, aggressive and resources of interested parties to circumvent these regulations. As the main baseball league, how to report, defends for its wage cap, these risks grow only.
But this story with Clippers-Kavhima takes over the theoretical to the real, at least in North America, so that it gives the leagues – and the internal audit departments – sufficient mandates to prevent and conduct the circumstance and, in the end, keep the playback level.