Did Steve Balmer pay Kawhi Leonard under the table?

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by blazerfan11, Sep 3, 2025 at 9:50 AM.

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  1. blazerfan11

    blazerfan11 Well-Known Member

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    upload_2025-9-3_12-19-15.png
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    Last edited: Sep 3, 2025 at 12:19 PM
    blazerfan11, Sep 3, 2025 at 9:50 AM
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  2. blazerfan11

    blazerfan11 Well-Known Member

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    https://sports.yahoo.com/article/alleged-kawhi-leonard-clippers-scheme-142640804.html (article link)

    Alleged Kawhi Leonard / Clippers scheme could put the team into the dark ages

    The Clippers are about to be in very, very hot water — assuming new allegations against the organization are true. Investigative reporter Pablo Torre claims the team has been involved in a shell corporation scheme which has been paying superstar Kawhi Leonard under the table, and more importantly off of the salary cap for years.
     
    blazerfan11, Sep 3, 2025 at 9:51 AM
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  3. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    e_blazer, Sep 3, 2025 at 9:59 AM
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  4. BigGameDamian

    BigGameDamian Well-Known Member

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    Did they really think that they would not get caught?
     
    BigGameDamian, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:01 AM
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  5. THE HCP

    THE HCP NorthEastPortland'sFinest

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    All he had to do was make a couple appearances or posts and couldn’t even do that.
    My peeps in Toronto told me all this shit they did for him that he required if they expected him to re-sign. Hired his brother and cousin to simply travel with him on the team plane and hang with him. When no other non team personal could. Whole bunch of other shit too.
     
    THE HCP, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:42 AM
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  6. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    Honestly, I miss our Microsoft billionaire who would try anything and everything to get around the NBA salary cap during the Trader Bob years.

    RIP Mr Allen.
     
    SlyPokerDog, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:48 AM
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  7. Quatro44

    Quatro44 Well-Known Member

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    Crazy if actually true

     
    Quatro44, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:55 AM
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  8. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    A tree company paying 7 million endorsement? I tend to think it might have been more of an oversight than actually trying to fraudulently go around the cap.

    Kawhi career NBA earnings (without endorsements) are 426 million.
     
    SharpesTriumph, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:57 AM
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  9. BlazerBeav

    BlazerBeav Well-Known Member

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    An oversight? Good grief. $28 million ($7 million still owed), btw.
     
    BlazerBeav, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:03 AM
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  10. Hoopguru

    Hoopguru Well-Known Member

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    Thus no all star game for portland.....
     
    Hoopguru, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:11 AM
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  11. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    e_blazer, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:15 AM
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  12. UncleCliffy'sDaddy

    UncleCliffy'sDaddy We're all Bozos on this bus.

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    Not that Kawhi Leonard hasn't been entirely overrated from the moment he joined the league. He just picked up that protective coating of Spurs/Pops dust that couldn't last forever........stumbling into a ring with Toronto only prolonged the delusion. A physically and emotionally fragile guy who could never deliver on what his obvious talent promised. I can't say that I am the least bit surprised......
     
    UncleCliffy'sDaddy, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:40 AM
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  13. BBert

    BBert Weasels Ripped My Flesh

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    Wasn't Uncle Paul a big reason they adopted the cap?
     
    BBert, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:45 AM
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  14. BigGameDamian

    BigGameDamian Well-Known Member

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    BigGameDamian, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:54 AM
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  15. blazerfan11

    blazerfan11 Well-Known Member

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    If this happened, the penalties should be very very severe, both for Balmer and Leonard.

    You've got and owner and a player who are effectively saying " screw the salary cap. "
     
    blazerfan11, Sep 3, 2025 at 12:13 PM
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  16. Pinwheel1

    Pinwheel1 Well-Known Member

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    What are the odds that the employee who admitted that they intentionally tried to circumvent the salary cap will get a big raise and change his story? I bet they give Balmer a slap on the wrist and tighten the rule up a bit. It is absolutely ridiculous that a player receives money from any of an owner's investments, other than just his salary.
     
    Pinwheel1, Sep 3, 2025 at 12:21 PM
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  17. Wizard Mentor

    Wizard Mentor Wizard Mentor

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    Apparently, the Clippers are "Breaking Bad" :)
     
    Wizard Mentor, Sep 3, 2025 at 12:23 PM
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  18. blazerfan11

    blazerfan11 Well-Known Member

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    This is what it looks like.

    upload_2025-9-3_12-37-34.png
     
    blazerfan11, Sep 3, 2025 at 12:37 PM
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  19. crandc

    crandc Well-Known Member

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    Wouldn't be first time Adam Silver's hammer came down on Clippers head.
     
    crandc, Sep 3, 2025 at 12:39 PM
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  20. Strenuus

    Strenuus Well-Known Member

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    Wasn't it stern who took the clips away from the racist dickbag?
     
    Strenuus, Sep 3, 2025 at 12:43 PM
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