The NBA is challenging assertions presented in an ESPN piece regarding the investigation into Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. According to ESPN’s report released on Monday morning and based on three sources, the NBA supposedly discovered no proof indicating that Ballmer used team sponsors to compensate Kawhi Leonard and avoid breaching the salary cap.
The article suggested that the NBA is instead examining whether the Clippers’ introduction of Leonard to team sponsors breaches the league’s regulations against evading the salary cap. NBA spokesperson Mike Bass contradicted these claims in a statement issued on Monday afternoon, stating that the ESPN article contains numerous inaccuracies.
Bass highlighted that the outcomes of the NBA’s inquiry will be disclosed upon its conclusion. A potential trade between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Toronto Raptors concerning Leonard has been halted pending any sanctions imposed by the league.
