[Fischer] Sources say the recent revelations from Torre regarding additional business deals for Leonard were not revelations to the league. There is belief that the investigation is close to completion and will involve sanctions against the Clippers but, ultimately, clearance to complete the trade.
Sources say the recent revelations from Torre’s podcast regarding additional off-court business deals for Leonard — both the alleged Daktronics contract and an ownership stake in a soccer team in Rhode Island with tangential ties to Ballmer and the Clippers — did not come as revelations to the Wachtell probe, which had already been looking into both. In mid-July, The Athletic reported that the NBA’s investigators had examined “a previously unreported endorsement deal with another company.”
There is a belief in some corners of the league that the investigation is closer to completion than advertised and that — at some point over the next six weeks — there will be a resolution involving some level of sanctions from the NBA against the Clippers but, ultimately, clearance for LA and Toronto to complete the Leonard trade. Officially, however, none of the parties involved has publicly indicated how feasible that scenario is.
“My understanding is that Wachtell is now in the process of going through the information that they have gathered and drawing conclusions from that information,” Silver said in mid-July. “And I think, yes, it is realistic to think that this can be wrapped up — and I would say needs to be wrapped up — before the beginning of the next season.”
https://open.substack.com/pub/marcstein/p/the-kawhi-leonard-latest?r=1m9zg&utm_medium=ios