The 2025 NBA Off Season (includes free agency)

[Mainstreet]

It makes you wonder how much of this is happening around the league or if this is just isolated. I can see front offices everywhere shredding paper right now like in one of those movies about Wall Street. LOL.

Yeah, I even worry about the Suns with a new owner and GM.

 

[Russ Smith]

And they should if true.

I found it notable, Baxter Holmes of ESPN is writing about it. He wrote a lot about the Suns and Robert Sarver before he sold the team.

A guy on BRO did a writeup from the podcast they basically have all the receipts. The business is supposed to be a they plant trees to offset carbon footprint but 90% of the revenue is fake from the owner. Kawhie registered an LLC and never did any actual work. Completely fraudulent.

The crazy thing is the Clips don't have control of their next few draft picks in the first round so it's going to be much harder for the NBA to punish them than it was with the T Wolves

 

[Mainstreet]

A guy on BRO did a writeup from the podcast they basically have all the receipts. The business is supposed to be a they plant trees to offset carbon footprint but 90% of the revenue is fake from the owner. Kawhie registered an LLC and never did any actual work. Completely fraudulent.

The crazy thing is the Clips don't have control of their next few draft picks in the first round so it's going to be much harder for the NBA to punish them than it was with the T Wolves

I'm sure if the NBA wants to find a way to punish the Clippers if the allegations are true, they can find an appropriate way.

Don't want to see a double standard.

 

[95pro]

It makes you wonder how much of this is happening around the league or if this is just isolated. I can see front offices everywhere shredding paper right now like in one of those movies about Wall Street. LOL.

I've already wondered if Ish was using his mortgage connection to entice players to come here, I'm not sure if they can be connected or are two separate things in having a player come to your team.

 

[Covert Rain]

I'm sure if the NBA wants to find a way to punish the Clippers if the allegations are true, they can find an appropriate way.

Don't want to see a double standard.

They have to come down hard IMO. It would be easy for the richest teams in the league to pull off something similar. If you come down hard and make the penalty severe? That at least sends a message.

Also, I don't think it should just be the teams punished. If a player is found to have participated, they should be gone for at least a season IMO. In fact, maybe even void their current contract. It could be argued that the only reason they signed with that team is because of the under the table deal.

 

[95pro]

They have to come down hard IMO. It would be easy for the richest teams in the league to pull off something similar. If you come down hard and make the penalty severe? That at least sends a message.

Also, I don't think it should just be the teams punished. If a player is found to have participated, they should be gone for at least a season IMO. In fact, maybe even void their current contract. It could be argued that the only reason they signed with that team is because of the under the table deal.

lets say a player signed a 40M/4 year contract, 10M/year. Player is found to have side pay of 20M, then the player should have to sit two seasons would be my form of punishment.

but nothing will happen except future draft picks like tampering currently is done.

 

[Phrazbit]

I've already wondered if Ish was using his mortgage connection to entice players to come here, I'm not sure if they can be connected or are two separate things in having a player come to your team.

What few signings we have made have been rather large overpays, if Ish is using money on the side he's been really dumb about it.

This does make me wonder about the Knicks though, they've had multiple players "take less for the team" the last few years.

 

[Phrazbit]

lets say a player signed a 40M/4 year contract, 10M/year. Player is found to have side pay of 20M, then the player should have to sit two seasons would be my form of punishment.

but nothing will happen except future draft picks like tampering currently is done.

It's the team that should get hammered.

Void the contract, but keep it's cap implications and wipe out their draft capitol.

 

[Hoop Head]

The team broke the rule while the player cashed a check. I can't fault the player much. Maybe make them go up for lottery and not able to choose their next team but suspending an athlete with a very limited shelf life for accepting more compensation is a bit much. If the player demanded that compensation then maybe something harsher but few would have the stones to tell the owner to set up a shady back channel to pay them beyond the CBA.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

I was about to post that story.

Minnesota was the last team caught doing under the table dealings to get around the cap and the league punished them by taking away four first round picks and voiding the contract.

This seems more serious and involves a much bigger star.

clips are soooooo screwed if that's real

 

[Covert Rain]

lets say a player signed a 40M/4 year contract, 10M/year. Player is found to have side pay of 20M, then the player should have to sit two seasons would be my form of punishment.

but nothing will happen except future draft picks like tampering currently is done.

I don't know that I would be that harsh but the minimum should be a voided contract. If a player knowingly participates in something against the rules you simply can't let that slide. That would just encourage players to find other ways to circumvent league rules or go along with whatever comes their way. It would open Pandora's box. Both sides of this need to see consequences.

 

[Mainstreet]

They have to come down hard IMO. It would be easy for the richest teams in the league to pull off something similar. If you come down hard and make the penalty severe? That at least sends a message.

Also, I don't think it should just be the teams punished. If a player is found to have participated, they should be gone for at least a season IMO. In fact, maybe even void their current contract. It could be argued that the only reason they signed with that team is because of the under the table deal.

Agree. The player's contract should be voided and the team punished even more severely for violating NBA rules.

 

[Hoop Head]

What if the Clippers released this info to get them out of the cap hell they're in? That would be some 4D chess.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm not sure how tough the league will be when the truth comes down about the Clippers. I keep thinking about all the shady reports that circulated when Toronto was dealing with Kawhi and nothing came from them despite an awful lot of smoke.

 

[Hoop Head]

I'm not sure how tough the league will be when the truth comes down about the Clippers. I keep thinking about all the shady reports that circulated when Toronto was dealing with Kawhi and nothing came from them despite an awful lot of smoke.

He didn't sign in Toronto though. They offered him a ton, the organization and the city/fanbase. I think if he had stayed there it would have blown up because of the backroom deals being offered to him to stay which sidestepped the CBA. He was there a year and they did pay handsomely for him.

If the league unwound anything it would also stain that title. I have no doubt he got some fringe benefits to stick around for that year rather than sit after Toronto traded for him but I think the league knew digging into that may create a mess. Player doesn't want to be where he's traded to and fan base goes out of their way to make him feel welcomed. There was probably some relief that Kawhi didn't re-up in Toronto.

 

[Phrazbit]

What if the Clippers released this info to get them out of the cap hell they're in? That would be some 4D chess.

I fully expect a heavy cap penalty if they're found to be in the wrong.

I'm not sure how tough the league will be when the truth comes down about the Clippers. I keep thinking about all the shady reports that circulated when Toronto was dealing with Kawhi and nothing came from them despite an awful lot of smoke.

Gambo is claiming today that Leonard's people demanded 15 million in endorsements from the Raptors, their owner was apparently able to scrounge it up, by asking sponsors to sign him, but Leonard bailed anyway. That sounds shady in and of itself but having a company funded by the owner paying him 28 million to do nothing is obviously far worse.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I fully expect a heavy cap penalty if they're found to be in the wrong.


Gambo is claiming today that Leonard's people demanded 15 million in endorsements from the Raptors, their owner was apparently able to scrounge it up, by asking sponsors to sign him, but Leonard bailed anyway. That sounds shady in and of itself but having a company funded by the owner paying him 28 million to do nothing is obviously far worse.

It is far worse but the fact they ignored it when Toronto was trying to find ways to pay him under the table opened the door for the Clippers actions IMO.

 

[Yuma]

Report. The NBA is commencing an investigation regarding the Clippers.

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THANK GOD they picked up Bradley Beal. The Clippers must have known this story was going to break.

 

[Yuma]

A guy on BRO did a writeup from the podcast they basically have all the receipts. The business is supposed to be a they plant trees to offset carbon footprint but 90% of the revenue is fake from the owner. Kawhie registered an LLC and never did any actual work. Completely fraudulent.

The crazy thing is the Clips don't have control of their next few draft picks in the first round so it's going to be much harder for the NBA to punish them than it was with the T Wolves

Maybe force a change in ownership?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Maybe force a change in ownership?

I'd be shocked if it went that direction. I'm pretty sure they WANT Ballmer in the league.

 

[Mainstreet]

THANK GOD they picked up Bradley Beal. The Clippers must have known this story was going to break.

It may be apocalyptic.

 

[Hoop Head]

It may be apocalyptic.

Bradley Beal is just the pale horse who signals the end of days. Almost like the sidekick to Death.

 

[Russ Smith]

I think IF it's true there's no way they can just let this go. At best yeah void Kawhi's contract and suspend him for a full season. At worst they have to take draft picks or something away from the Clips. You can't go the NCAA way and say not eligible for the playoffs nobody would buy tickets to Clips games but there has to be HEAVY fines.

My guess is the Clips are NOT the only team that has done this

 

[elindholm]

Minnesota was the last team caught doing under the table dealings to get around the cap and the league punished them by taking away four first round picks and voiding the contract.

That seemed like a franchise-killing penalty at the time, but that was before Ishbia made the Durant trade.

 

[Germz249]

Kawhi Leonard reportedly paid $28 million for 'no-show job' with Clippers as way to get around salary cap, NBA investigating

Kawhi Leonard was reportedly paid $28 million to do nothing.

sports.yahoo.com

This is why I called crap about how the Patriots were using Tom Brady’s company TB12 for services..