All the eyes and conversations in the NBA focus on the controversy between the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawi Leonard.
The situation began after investigative journalist Pablo Torre revealed that the Clippers were allegedly fooled to pay Leonard to their pay cap.
Torre claimed that the Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer used a company called Aspiration to pay Kawi Leonard $28 million.
However, the aspirations are no longer business, Leonard never worked for the company, and Tore labeled it “no show work.”
Steve Ballmer denied misconduct, denies his desire for controversy, and has not insisted on contact with Leonard on the matter.
The allegations have generated a major response from the NBA community, including senior insider Bill Simmons.
Simmons expressed shock at the allegation because he believes Ballmer is too clever and cannot be cheated in such a careless manner.
“I read all of this and how it was all laid out. It was pretty awful that there was more than a smoking gun here,” Simmons explained.
“This was so sloppy, and everything I know about Ballmer makes me almost think, like he was a businessman cleverness, how compassionate he was about everything, how he was, how he was doing, every part of every place, every place.”
Simmons highlighted Ballmer’s reputation as a detail-oriented executive who generally doesn’t do sloppy things.
“And I think he really is like the guy above it.” He wasn’t like the “old billionaire,” he was just “anything.” ”
The analyst concluded his assessment by questioning whether someone in Ballmer’s caliber would implement such an apparently flawed scheme.
“And all this laid out, I can’t believe he was this idiot. It’s like the place I landed, and maybe he was this idiot, but I can’t believe he was this stupid.”
Ballmer has acquired defenders, including Mark Cuba, former Dallas Mavericks majority owner.
The Clippers owners are also seeking parity for the NBA after the controversy, after hoping to investigate the league’s surroundings.
Things continue to develop as the NBA community awaits potential league action on allegations of serious pay cap violations.