The famous investigative journalist, Pablo Torre, who uncovered the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard salary cap circumvention deal has spoken up about how the team through their relationship with media, tried to change the narrative of the story.
While appearing on The Dan LeBatard Show, Torre blasted both the Clippers and the media for creating a fake story which said that he was lying.
"For a year, the Clippers, through their personal relationships with media, with crisis PR people, with compliant outlets, have tried to sell a story in which I and we have been lying about this the whole time," Torre explained.
"And what those media sources should have known a lot earlier than yesterday was that it was the opposite."
Steve Ballmer
Steve Ballmer
Pablo Torre secures massive win with Clippers punished
The NBA formally announced Wednesday its punishment against the Los Angeles Clippers and several other figures involved.
The Clippers have been stripped of five first-round picks from 2029 to 2033 by the NBA, while owner Steve Ballmer received a $30 million fine and a one-year suspension.
President of business operations Gillian Zucker was suspended without pay for one year, and President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was suspended without pay for six months.
Kawhi Leonard had just a slap on the wrist, as he is being ordered to pay $700,000. Meanwhile, his uncle, Dennis Robertson, gained a five-year ban from any league dealings and involvement.
Pablo Torre earned critical acclaim for exposing the Los Angeles Clippers' ties to Aspiration by paying Leonard through a no-show endorsement deal.
Torre's investigative reporting also uncovered that Daktronics – the business-to-business manufacturing company that built the signature "Halo Board" jumbotron inside the Clippers' new Intuit Dome – had also signed Leonard to a secret, multi-million dollar endorsement contract.