Clippers
Clippers Under Investigation, ESPN Insider Provides Take.
The Los Angeles Clippers are under investigation following reports that the team may have violated the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to pay Kawhi Leonard.
Former ESPN contributor and podcaster Pablo Torre reported on September 3 that the Clippers were allegedly circumventing the salary cap. However, ESPN Insider Bobby Marks shared his take on the possible outcome of the investigation, or the lack thereof.
“I’m not anticipating anything. And that’s not any disrespect to Pablo’s reporting, but I’ve been part of, as I said, um, salary cap circumvention cases here,” Marks said on September 4 on ESPN.
“The optics don’t look good, but it doesn’t meet the smell test as far as a team that’s circumventing the salary cap.”
Pablo’s Initial Clipper Report
On September 3, Torres reviewed documents linked to a former company owned by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer on his show, “Pablo Torre Finds Out.” Torres went on to explain the significance of the findings.
“Kawhi Leonard received money and in these piles of documents right on this table are the receipts,” Torres said. “Kawhi Leonard, the NBA superstar and franchise player for the Los Angeles Clippers, it does feel important to establish what makes him, him, right?”
As the show continued, Torres referenced Uncle Dennis and how he requested for improper benefits from the NBA. Before signing with Los Angeles, Leonard was the most sought-after free agent.
An Insider’s Perspective
On the flip side, Marks spoke on his experience with the Brooklyn Nets and their salary cap issues. ” I sent over all my notes to our editors as far as certainly what the salary cap circumvention penalties are,” Marks said.
“I do think there’s a lot more digging into it. Uh, the Clippers released a statement last night, a detailed statement. So I kind of want to go through the actual process when the leak says they are going to begin an investigation just because I’ve been there.”
“Not many people have been in the position where they’ve been investigated for salary cap circumvention, and I have been there in 2013. Andrei Kirilenko in Brooklyn, we signed him to a three-year $10 million contract.”
“I think at the time it was the tax ML which um, and why we were investigated we had a Russian owner and that Kirilenko had declined a $10 million player option here and that basically set off the red alarms here and basically what’s going to happen with the Clippers.”
“I’ll go into detail what Pablo has, um, I guess, accused of happening, and there is some truth to some of this, and I”ll tell you why, and I think the Clippers will probably say there’s some truth to it also, and they’ve actually come out and said it,” Marks said.
What’s Next
Despite Los Angeles being a part of an investigation, the franchise had a successful offseason. The organization signed Chris Paul, Brook Lopez, and Bradley Beal during free agency.
The Clippers traded Norman Powell and re-signed Nicolas Batum to maintain wing depth. The NBA season is set to begin on Tuesday, October 21. This season, there are two teams in Los Angeles that will look to capture another ring.
Will the Clippers remove themselves from the shadows of the Los Angeles Lakers?