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re: Pablo Torre Finds Smoking Gun re: Ballmer and Kawhi?
Posted on 9/12/25 at 3:48 pm to cgrand
Posted on 9/12/25 at 3:48 pm to cgrand
quote:
No other team could have paid Kawhi more than the clippers did. So a plausible question would be…what did the clippers gain by doing shady shite for his second contract there?
The logic is that they didn't have put a injury plagued 31 year old on their books past his 35th bday.
He got the max per year in his 2021 contract but took a shorter deal. They paid him on the side for the value of those additional years, and gave themselves the ability to not have to deal with a end of career Kobe style contract.
0
Posted on 9/12/25 at 3:57 pm to cgrand
quote:
. And it does seem unlikely that ballmer would be this stupid and reckless.
But the illogical part is “how could he be stupid to be caught” vs How could he be so stupid to invest $50 million and do a $300 million sponsorship deal with a company.
This argument cuts both ways IMO. Hard to claim Ballmer isn't dumb enough to do this but then claim he is dumb enough to get connned out of almost half a billion dollars.
Posted on 9/12/25 at 4:32 pm to CovingtonTigre
quote:
connned out of almost half a billion dollars
Aspiration was paying the Clippers $300 MM not the other way around
Posted on 9/12/25 at 5:10 pm to MikeD
quote:
In March 2023, LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer invested almost $10 million into financial technology and sustainability services company Aspiration, according to legal filings reviewed by The Athletic and corroborated by a former Aspiration executive.
The previously unreported investment came 18 months after Ballmer’s $50 million investment in the firm now at the heart of an NBA investigation into whether Clippers star Kawhi Leonard made a side deal to circumvent the NBA’s salary cap, allegations first reported by the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast last week.
Ballmer’s $10 million infusion into Aspiration came as the Los Angeles-based company was hemorrhaging cash, laying off employees and struggling to raise funds — and it came just three months after a $1.99 million investment by Dennis Wong, Ballmer’s college roommate and Clippers vice chairman, which was first reported by “Pablo Torre Finds Out” this week.
Posted on 9/12/25 at 5:14 pm to MikeD
quote:
Aspiration was paying the Clippers $300 MM not the other way around
Yeah but they didn't pay the Clippers. Thats actual cash the team could have earned.
The Clippers lost $ on a HUGE sponsor deal. That’s opportunity cost.
Posted on 9/13/25 at 9:05 am to cgrand
Balmer is guilty.
Let’s see what Silver does.
This is a lot worse than Joe Smith, this isn’t a one time agreement. I am sure there are more deals out there.
Balmer knew what he was doing, he set up a side deal for Kawhi.
League needs to void Kawhi’s contract and suspend him until he cooperates with the league to uncover all the other side deals that were done.
Let’s see what Silver does.
This is a lot worse than Joe Smith, this isn’t a one time agreement. I am sure there are more deals out there.
Balmer knew what he was doing, he set up a side deal for Kawhi.
League needs to void Kawhi’s contract and suspend him until he cooperates with the league to uncover all the other side deals that were done.
Posted on 9/13/25 at 10:41 am to VA LSU fan
quote:
This is a lot worse than Joe Smith, this isn’t a one time agreement. I am sure there are more deals out there.
If the allegations here are true, this is worse than Joe Smith. The problem is, even at this moment, Ballmer still has a degree of plausible deniability (i.e. can scapegoat Wong) even if the court of public opinion thinks that’s lunacy. And the punishment won’t be as severe if Ballmer isn’t being implicated as a part of all this. That’s just the reality.
In the Minnesota/Joe Smith situation, they were dumb enough to literally put everything in writing in a signed contract so there was no wiggle room to deny or get out of it.
Posted on 9/13/25 at 11:19 am to onmymedicalgrind
Cuban is arguing with him again
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I'm doing this because it's fun. You feel so positive that you are right. My experiences say otherwise. It's a fun challenge. Kind of like doing a crossword puzzle.
Is it feasible to you that his representative pitched Aspiration and Joe Sanberg saw value in having KL2 on the cap table, so he did a deal ?
How much do you know about Sanberg and how he valued having a deal with KL2 ?
Isn't that a critical element in all of this ?
Posted on 9/13/25 at 11:19 am to RLDSC FAN
Posted on 9/18/25 at 10:41 am to onmymedicalgrind
Pablo is smartly releasing a little info at a time
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Posted on 9/18/25 at 4:17 pm to Fun Bunch
most damning episode yet...the clippers PREPAID for like $30MM in carbon credits before the new arena was even open 
. ballmer invested $10MM more in cash (paying double the share price for the SPAC shares AFTER the main investors in the SPAC had already exercised their warrants at the strike price), at a time when the company was under investigation by the feds. this is extremely suspect as it could indicate ballmer was deliberately trying to artificially lower the number of shares he owned in aspiration to avoid the NBA 5% rule about investing in sponsors. and the CEO/scammer plead the fifth in a lawsuit deposition when asked about the nature of the company's relationship with ballmer
overall ballmer & the clippers sent $118MM into aspiration
. ballmer invested $10MM more in cash (paying double the share price for the SPAC shares AFTER the main investors in the SPAC had already exercised their warrants at the strike price), at a time when the company was under investigation by the feds. this is extremely suspect as it could indicate ballmer was deliberately trying to artificially lower the number of shares he owned in aspiration to avoid the NBA 5% rule about investing in sponsors. and the CEO/scammer plead the fifth in a lawsuit deposition when asked about the nature of the company's relationship with ballmer overall ballmer & the clippers sent $118MM into aspiration
This post was edited on 9/18/25 at 4:30 pm
Posted on 9/18/25 at 5:03 pm to onmymedicalgrind
It will take a group of owners going public to force any action.
And I do not think any NBA owners want to be the Al Davis of the NBA,
And I do not think any NBA owners want to be the Al Davis of the NBA,
Posted on 9/18/25 at 5:21 pm to RLDSC FAN
quote:
How much do you know about Sanberg and how he valued having a deal with KL2 ?
Yes Mark he valued him so much he said here is almost 50M in compensation. I want you to do nothing for our company .
Posted on 9/18/25 at 6:57 pm to Stamps74
Posted on 9/29/25 at 3:07 pm to cgrand
pablo 5.0
quote:new episode today
NEW: Steve Ballmer quietly donated $1.875M to charity of Aspiration co-founder who "conned" him — 1.5+ years after Clippers ended deal, as feds closed in.
Posted on 9/29/25 at 3:09 pm to cgrand
I hate Pablo, but watching Cuban embarrass himself will outweigh my hate for the sanctimonious Big J
Can’t wait to see how Cuban tries to walk himself back after his twitter meltdowns
Can’t wait to see how Cuban tries to walk himself back after his twitter meltdowns
Posted on 9/29/25 at 3:12 pm to cgrand
Pablo is running a clinic on releasing new info in drips to let others hang themselves
I still think ultimately Silver will conclude its all circumstantial and protect his richest owner, unless Pablo is waiting and sitting on something very tangible
I still think ultimately Silver will conclude its all circumstantial and protect his richest owner, unless Pablo is waiting and sitting on something very tangible
Posted on 9/29/25 at 5:05 pm to Fun Bunch
quote:
Kawhi Leonard mumbled his way through a few answers to questions Monday about his endorsement deal with Aspiration Partners that has triggered an NBA investigation into whether the Clippers circumvented the league salary cap. The Clippers allowed only two reporters to ask about the deal during media day at Intuit Dome, refusing to give the microphone to additional reporters — including one from The Times — who raised their hands to ask questions. Leonard was ushered off the dais and out of sight. “The NBA is going to do their job,” Leonard said. “None of us did no wrongdoing and, yeah, that’s it. We invite the investigation.” Asked about his understanding of the endorsement deal and whether he performed any services, Leonard replied, “I understand the full contract and services that I had to do. Like I said, I don’t deal with conspiracies or the click-bait analysts or journalism that’s going on. “I don’t think it’s accurate” that he provided no endorsement services to Aspiration, he said. “It’s old. This is all new to you guys. But the company went bankrupt a while ago, so we already knew this was going to happen.” He added that he wasn’t paid all the money due to him, saying “I’m not sure [how much I’m owed]. I’ve got to go back and look at the books. ... The company went belly up and it was fine.”
Posted on 9/29/25 at 5:18 pm to Fun Bunch
I think he's stretching it too far. People are going to get tired of it attempting to stay in the news cycle for so long.
Posted on 9/29/25 at 6:18 pm to Fun Bunch
Am I taking crazy pills for thinking this should be a massive story and massive issue?
Is every team doing this?
How is this not the biggest sports story in the United States?
I’m having a tough time leveling with the enthusiasm in which they got rid of the last owner, while this is just a big nothingburger apparently.
Is every team doing this?
How is this not the biggest sports story in the United States?
I’m having a tough time leveling with the enthusiasm in which they got rid of the last owner, while this is just a big nothingburger apparently.
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