jrock7979

329 | 9 days ago

Not to mention the value of the Clippers pick from the JB trade.

Competitive-Math7167

141 | 9 days ago

lol they really got played, whole league watching this and thinking why we even bothering with the rules

Your__Pal

28 | 9 days ago

Its not clear to me if it it helps or hurt them.

If Kawhi got banned for the year and stayed on the Clippers, there is a chance he had a year with low wear and tear and balled out in 2028. A 2 year ban means they probably drop to a bottom 3 team and fewer lottery balls.

Ingram/Garland/Wagler doesnt seem like enough for them to be successful in the West in 2028, and is probably just good enough to stay out of the bottom 3.

rmullig2

-8 | 9 days ago

That pick was never that valuable to begin with considering the weakness of that draft class.

GardenRafters | Red

3 | 5 days ago

And the fact that every team in the lottery basically has the same odds now. Any pick could just as easily be #16 as it could be #1.

This whole scenario is really making me question if I should care about the NBA anymore. It’s quickly becoming more “entertainment” instead of “sports”.

I don’t think Silver understands that if the game play loses integrity and people think it’s all rigged, people will stop watching.

Ear_Enthusiast

210 | 9 days ago

This is classic tech bro billionaire shit and Balmer is king tech bro. Everything they touch is corrupt and there’s never any consequences.

SamIamGreenEggsNoHam

49 | 9 days ago

The Nerd Reich ruins everything

North_Atlantic_Sea

6 | 9 days ago

Wasn’t SBF a tech bro billionaire? Seems like he got consequences

MascotRoyalRumble

52 | 9 days ago

Yes but he was more a fintech bro and and he fucked with others rich people’s money which as you all know is a big no no

Boobieleeswagger

6 | 9 days ago

He screwed Tom Brady outta of a couple million, how’s Tommy Gonna eat lol he has kids to feed

wump_world

6 | 9 days ago

Ya, and avocado ice cream isn’t cheap

RIPEOTCDXVI

1 | 9 days ago

“Tom Brady where my bread at?”

North_Atlantic_Sea

-1 | 9 days ago

Isn’t this a case of Ballmer fucking with other rich people’s money?

MascotRoyalRumble

16 | 9 days ago

Yeah but those were employees not investors. And the other owners love a good loophole or unenforced rule

Btdrnks2021

2 | 9 days ago

I think he means the rest of the leagues money

MascotRoyalRumble

2 | 9 days ago

I figured. But now the other owners know these shenanigans are allowable. So they get to keep it make more money

_TheDoode

-2 | 9 days ago

He wasnt a billionaire, he oversaw billions and that was no longer the case when a bank run happened to his exchange

urbanism_enthusiast

1 | 9 days ago

He owned a majority stake in a company valued at $32b, what are you talking about? Obviously that is a private market valuation, but still. His net worth was many billions.

[deleted]

-1 | 9 days ago

[deleted]

urbanism_enthusiast

1 | 9 days ago

Yes, because he committed fraud. That doesn’t make it “imaginary”. You can literally use equity in companies as collateral for low interest loans from banks. That’s how many rich people finance their lifestyles.

Scared-Arrival3885

2 | 9 days ago

Personally I can’t relate, but I’d imagine after living years with unlimited money, and always using cash to solve your problems, it must feel strange to be told “you can only spend $X and anything more is illegal.”

BackgroundCat

10 | 9 days ago

Mmm, would that we all have such onerous constraints on our lives, huh? I think it’s called, “it’s a club, and you ain’t in it” or something like that.

nathanwilson26

117 | 9 days ago

The league knows it can’t win a protracted legal fight against an owner worth more than the entire league combined.

The league can not afford discovery since the clippers are not the only team engaged in this kind of behavior.

Discovery would also let the union see financials that the league would rather they not see.

I’m wondering if the league has come to a back room deal with balmer.

Doink4life

36 | 9 days ago

backroom deal is silver saying anything you want Daddy to balmer.

North_Atlantic_Sea

9 | 9 days ago

Ballmer isn’t worth more than the other owners combined though. If you strip it down to just majority, he’s only wealthier than #2-6 combined.

And if you include minority owners, he’s poorer than the Spurs minority owner, Dell, as well as just ¹⁄₄ the wealth of the Wizards ownership group

brenblaze

0 | 9 days ago

Other owners don’t matter. You don’t think they’d actually put up their own money to defend the integrity of the league, do you?

The NBA itself is an organization with revenue and profit. And it makes 12.5 billion revenue a year according to a quick search.

Steve Ballmer has 10 times that, and he’s not an organization with procedures and expenses. If he’s genuinely pissed because he’s outed for being a “rules for thee, not for me type”, he could keep them in courts for years paying tens of millions in legal fees, generating bad press lowering the value of the league ect ect.

Not to mention, if you think he couldn’t just drop a massive truck of cash at Pablo Torres house and say “ do the same thing for the other 29 teams” I think you are mistaken. Integrity stops for most humans at the 7-8 figure mark.

North_Atlantic_Sea

2 | 9 days ago

If he lowers the value of the league, then yes, the other owners would have a financial interest in battling against that

ThefuckisuOnn

-1 | 9 days ago

Brother the man created the internet Not one owner is gonna lift a finger or word to him knowing the power he has. This a chess game that ballmer owns everyone else are the pieces

gooseta | JT for MVP!

4 | 9 days ago

TIL Steve ballmer created the internet

urbanism_enthusiast

3 | 9 days ago

I hope the first part of that is a joke because he absolutely did not lol

AnotsuKagehisa

8 | 9 days ago

There’s also no law enforcement involved in this whole thing, so it’s just the nba policing itself.

urbanism_enthusiast

1 | 9 days ago

Yeah this isn’t a Mark Walter situation where he’s committing actual fraud.

a_moniker

1 | 7 days ago

Discovery isn’t a thing in this case. The CBA is pretty darn clear. Ballmer would only be able to take the case to a third party mediator, not a court

Angreek

91 | 9 days ago

Yes. Rules for thee but not for me. LA sports in a nutshell.

Bryandan1elsonV2

28 | 9 days ago

I’m really not seeing how the NBA could survive this. It’s over. Parity in the league is dead if teams can do this and get away with it.

North_Atlantic_Sea

-13 | 9 days ago

The clippers will be punished. And Parity in the league is at an all time high lol

Bryandan1elsonV2

13 | 9 days ago

I’ll have what you’re having.

Unfortunately the long arm of the universe seems to be taking its sweet time to skew towards justice.

North_Atlantic_Sea

-3 | 9 days ago

Which part do you disagree with, that the clippers will be punished or that parity is at an all time high?

And yeah, corporate investigations by law firms take a long time, no dispute there

misterpoopybutthole5 | GINO TIME

6 | 9 days ago

I’m confused by your claim, wasn’t it just literally decided that the Clippers will not be punished?

North_Atlantic_Sea

5 | 9 days ago

No, the “unnamed sources” (which the league refutes for whatever that’s worth) said that they don’t have evidence on Ballmer himself, but they are continuing to investigate the clippers. I think the most likely outcome is moderate punishments for the clippers org (a few draft picks + large fine) and Kawhi (few months suspension), but nothing specifically against Ballmer

theomegachrist

2 | 9 days ago

I don’t think they are going to even lose a draft pick. Reporters have said that the Clippers have leaked this in a way that benefits them in the public but it’s based on negotiations they are having for a punishment. Right off the drop, negotiations for a punishment already means it’s going to be lighter than if there are no negotiations and unless the Clippers are completely lying I think it’s safe to assume the investigation came up with no smoking gun so I don’t know. What would a punishment even be that is a deterrent? I would say at least 3 first round picks. Anything less, you have to factor in that they only got caught because aspiration was a scam. If it’s one first round pick or even two, is that a deterrent for the big market teams? I think it would be worth it to pay an MVP candidate under the table if the cost is only a pick or two

Bryandan1elsonV2

2 | 9 days ago

I don’t think the clippers are going to be punished, no. I could be wrong, and the nba did say espn fucked up the reporting, but until it happens im firmly in the nothing ever happens camp. I would love to be wrong.

North_Atlantic_Sea

6 | 9 days ago

I don’t think Ballmer specifically will be punished, but my bet is the clippers org has 2-3 draft picks taken + a massive fine, and Kawhi is suspended for a few months

Flaky_Awareness_9489

1 | 7 days ago

Dude are you stupid? You think they’re going to suspend Kawhi for a few months knowing he’s one of the leagues biggest stars & they’d much rather get the boost in ratings? Nothings going to happen and you’re incredibly naive for convincing yourself this much as it is lol.

According_Change_269

20 | 9 days ago

Everyone associated with the Celtics including the biggest victims (Us! The fans) should be absolutely outraged by nothing short of dire penalties doled out to everyone involved!

wump_world

5 | 9 days ago

But this is nothing compared to Brady’s deflated balls

NoLawyer980

16 | 9 days ago

I think they’re going to be ecstatic when they find out that they’re not the dumpster fire which is LA Clippers.

daft_dunkwwwolfey | JT n JB will BONE yo mf ass ☠️

3 | 9 days ago

The Clippers get the biggest penalty of all, being the eternally irrelevant Clippers. They are the Browns of the NBA, and their fans are becoming as obnoxious as Browns fans after the Deshaun Watson scandal

derekblanchard | Banner Day Al Horford

1 | 9 days ago

They have fans?

Accomplished-Cup2781

20 | 9 days ago

This summer has been monumental for me no longer giving a shit about the NBA I’ll tell ya!

JimG617

10 | 9 days ago

Didn’t Kawhi get traded to Toronto?

13143

9 | 9 days ago

Trade is on hold until the investigation wraps up.

JimG617

1 | 9 days ago

So wouldn’t the backdoor deal benefit Toronto? Or was this about his previous deal?

13143

3 | 9 days ago

I think the concern is to whether or not Kawhi is getting in trouble. If he ends up suspended for the season, or a big chunk of the season, then Toronto probably wouldn’t want to do the trade, or else would need some other compensation.

SwolePalmer | Maine Red Claws

10 | 9 days ago

Everyone should be pissed, if we’re being honest. It’s a travesty.

HereComesTheRooster2

8 | 9 days ago

Kawhi was playing under a max contract. They didn’t gain cap flexibility with the stuff going on.

Just a factor in him actually signing the max contract there and not elsewhere.

[deleted]

1 | 9 days ago

[deleted]

HereComesTheRooster2

6 | 9 days ago

Lol he was on a max contact….. 3 Year max with a player option 4th year.

Google and Spotrac are free.

TonySoprano300

1 | 8 days ago

Thats a huge deal still, it means you can entice Superstar FAs by paying them more than cap allows

HereComesTheRooster2

2 | 8 days ago

I don’t disagree. The entire point of OPs post is just plain wrong though is all I am saying lol

juice13ox

0 | 9 days ago

Someone with some sense! The clippers didn’t even benefit from this either. They got their tears of kawhi and have had 0 playoff success to go with it.

PenguinsAteMyToast | Cus Crise

4 | 9 days ago

the nba loves the LA market, lets them cheat at will. hello 2002 wcf + “luka trade”. joke of a league

urbanism_enthusiast

1 | 9 days ago

It’s because it’s Ballmer (richest owner in the league by a lot) + multiple teams do this to a lesser extent and they don’t want to go to discovery and have that be known. It’s not because it’s the Clippers, a franchise very few people give a shit about.

VTPunk | Time "Time " Time Lord" Lord" Lord

4 | 9 days ago

The NBA has suspended Tom Brady for 4 games.

greatwhite8

3 | 9 days ago

There is a reason that other teams are not upset about this, publicly or privately. They are all cheating. Do you think Balmer is the first person who thought about paying players under the table? Teams don’t want to set a precedent.

wump_world

1 | 9 days ago

What’s most frustrating about this is that in a 20 year career I’ve never once been offered a side deal, under the table deal, or any other direction deal

TonySoprano300

1 | 8 days ago

If they’re all cheating, why don’t FA routinely sign for significantly below their value?

VeeHS

1 | 3 days ago

Because then its obvious. Leonard signed for the MAX +backrooms deals. So his contract alone doesn’t set off any alarm bells.

TonySoprano300

1 | 3 days ago

So then all roads lead to Rome lol, unfalsifiable

A4FXN

3 | 9 days ago

Once Cooper Flagg becomes available, we should give him whatever under the table. He’ll have no reason to return to Dallas.

urbanism_enthusiast

1 | 9 days ago

He’ll probably demand a trade here in year 7 or 8 as is. We don’t really have to cheat to get him.

saulrsnbrg82

2 | 9 days ago

Oh jeez, what did i miss?

deaddisciples

2 | 9 days ago

Lol are you asking if rich people are getting upset at other rich people for breaking the rules? Cmon now. As much as i love the celtics, the team is still owned by billionaires and they are in a tight-knit group far seperated from us.

notryinguser [OP]

3 | 9 days ago

Owners implement second apron so that balmer prevents outspending them all and they don’t have to spend as much on teams but then balmer still pays them on the side so what was the point of adding the apron.

daft_dunkwwwolfey | JT n JB will BONE yo mf ass ☠️

3 | 9 days ago

There’s been reports that owners and GMs are pissed, but not enough of a majority to take on a fight with Ballmer

TonySoprano300

1 | 8 days ago

I don’t know what this is supposed to mean but ofc they care, they want to win championships and its BS if other owners can get serious advantages because they don’t have to obey Salary cap rules

urbanism_enthusiast

2 | 9 days ago

Al wasn’t traded. He left us for the 2nd time because he thought we’d be bad.
Porzingis probably gets traded anyways. Tatum is much better with rolling big men instead of pick and pop and he was unreliable injury wise.
Jaylen was not traded because of the CBA. Brad doesn’t think he’s good. He thinks Paul George is good. Brad has been trying to trade Jaylen for 4 years, before this current CBA. The analytics are very clear on this and Bill just admitted the FO had to convince him it was the smart move.
Jrue is the only one I’m sure Brad is pissed about. Dude is still awesome and Anfernee isn’t any good.

theomegachrist

2 | 9 days ago

Maybe they are?

victorspoilz

2 | 8 days ago

Did Jalen Brunson REALLY take that paycut?

unlaynaydee

1 | 7 days ago

Do anybody know how much his pops getting as assitant coach?

Bearded_Pip

1 | 9 days ago

You would think they would be…

Little_Obligation_90

1 | 9 days ago

Other teams don’t have the Ballmer money.

davemoedee | I was there

1 | 9 days ago

What news? ESPN claiming leaks?

Oceanbreeze871 | Angry Brad

1 | 9 days ago

Any other owner/franchise pulls a Balmer and they’d get the hammer

Dark_Ruffalo

1 | 9 days ago

The no show deal is what’s slimey but I guess I always assumed players made side deals with teams. It’s a lot like college sports, most minority owners and high level season ticket members move like boosters, they offer endorsements just to be around.

P00PooKitty | Bll Russell

1 | 8 days ago

Such fucking bullshit

S0ggylemonz

1 | 8 days ago

What news? The news that no evidence of anything?

token711 | 2008 Trophy

1 | 8 days ago

every team in the league who hasn’t done shit like this should be “most pissed”

Alternative-Farmer98

1 | 7 days ago

It was mostly because they didn’t want to pay the repeater tax the apron is just a convenient excuse. We realize that now that they dismantled the entire championship roster 11 months after they bought the team.

Brown was traded and there’s literally and had no implications on the apron whatsoever.

Alternative-Farmer98

1 | 7 days ago

Brown was not traded to get under the apron. We were already under the apron and Paul George makes the same amount of money.

notryinguser [OP]

2 | 7 days ago

the “and cap flexibility” part is there for a reason. PG makes the same amount of money but it’s easier to get off his contract.

unlaynaydee

1 | 7 days ago

So its really is a BUSINESS. Fuck this league.

hopopo

0 | 8 days ago

Stevens should be fired for “Brown deal”

VeeHS

1 | 3 days ago

Excluding injured players Brown is the worst contract in the league

RonSwanson24

-1 | 9 days ago

Celtics probably do give out money under the table, that’s why the Clippers aren’t getting punished for it. Everyone does shady shit and if the league punished the Clippers it probably would’ve resulted in a lot of dirty secrets becoming public

EducatorReady1326

-12 | 9 days ago

Wait I thought Brown was traded because of analytics?

namblaotie

0 | 9 days ago

Shitty troll, is shitty

PebblyJackGlasscock | Second Round Pick Enthusiast

-17 | 9 days ago

The Celtics won, with integrity. The Clippers cheated and didn’t win anything.

Who, exactly, should be “most pissed”?

The 2nd apron is…mostly irrelevant to this proceeding. The Celtics have traded players because of TAXES and, if you don’t understand why, you haven’t paid taxes.

When you don’t understand something, it is bound to “piss” you off.

capta2k

12 | 9 days ago

Could we have avoided those TAXES if our star players had signed for smaller annual contracts and replaced the missing income with no show jobs from Dick’s & Bob’s?

PebblyJackGlasscock | Second Round Pick Enthusiast

1 | 9 days ago

> our star players had signed

Yes, if Jaylen Brown had been willing to plant some trees, the Celtics could have done the same thing.

Heck, had he sold some smoothies like Tom Brady, it’d have been continuing a Boston tradition.

I’m sure you aren’t blaming Jaylen for not cheating. Right?

capta2k

1 | 9 days ago

Could we have won even more if we had cheated

PebblyJackGlasscock | Second Round Pick Enthusiast

0 | 9 days ago

Again, yes, if Jaylen Brown wanted to cheat to win, he could have asked the Celtics to break the rules and the Celtics could have won more.

Again, are you “pissed” that Jaylen Brown has integrity and didn’t cheat?

capta2k

-1 | 9 days ago

If the NBA doesn’t define paying players under the table as a violation of the rules then people who do not pay players under the table are harming their fans interests.

To answer your question: if Ballmer and the Clippers get away with this, yes I’ll be very mad if Celtics management doesn’t follow suit.

PebblyJackGlasscock | Second Round Pick Enthusiast

1 | 9 days ago

You do not understand what you’re talking about.

You keep insisting “the Celtics” could have done this. NOT WITHOUT JAYLEN (or another player) WILLING TO CHEAT.

“It takes two to tango” as the cliche goes.

Shifting the focus to Ballmer - owners - is misunderstanding what happened.

Whining that “they could have done this” is…dreadfully misinformed.

You are very literally mad about something you very obviously do not understand.

North_Atlantic_Sea

0 | 9 days ago

That’d be different than the Kawhi situation though. He signed for the max with the clippers in 2019.

Shouldn’t Celtics FO be most pissed about the balmer news? Jrue holiday, horford, porzingis and even brown were traded to get under second apron and cap flexibility.