A journalistic investigation has revealed one of the greatest NBA scandals in recent times, both for the wrapped protagonists and for a deep footprint that can be left in the structure of the competition. According to the journalist Pablo Torre, now linked to The Ahletic, the clippers created a fraudulent company planting company to be able to haggle salary stops and, in practice, give more money to Kawhi Leonard, team star. A case of sports corruption that the NBA has begun to investigate prudence, since Steve Ballmer, owner of the franchise and former CEO of Microsoft, is the richest owner in the entire competition and it is not good advertising for the great fortunes that discuss its ways, even if they move away from the rules.
According to Torre, that ghost company, created with an injection of 50 million dollars from Steve Ballmer, signed a contract with Leonard, which he paid 28 million dollars for literally doing anything, simply in exchange for not left the clippers, the team that reached in 2019. At the time the forward’s decision surprised the world. First of not renewing with the Raptors, which had just been champion and MVP of the finals. And then, not to sign for the Lakers and form a Big Three more than fearsome with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Leonard chose the clippers, in his hometown, but his decision had a trick, as ensured by this journalistic research
Leonard chose the clippers, in his hometown, but his decision had a trick, as this journalistic research ensures. The player received money apart from the salary limit (Salary Cap), the money that each team can spend on salaries in a season and that is a rule that tries to maintain a certain equality between the franchises, beyond that there are multiple exceptions, the best known luxury tax, which is nothing other than a fine for exceeding the Salary Cap.
The NBA has discussed the matter with lead feet and has begun to investigate. Whether there are sanctions as if there are no, the League will no longer be the same. In the first case, the vulnerability of a too flexible system would be demonstrated. In the second, it would directly become impossible to have control over the Salary Cap. At a time when great fortunes do not stop landing in the league, not sanctioning the clippers fraud can mean giving white letter to this type of practices.
