#Updated. Steve Ballmer is maybe the best-liked owner in the NBA. He is well-liked by Adam Silver. He is also the wealthiest owner in all of sports. He is the sixth-wealthiest human being on the third rock from the sun. He has friends who think the world of him, for all the right reasons.
Ballmer is the White Knight who rode to the rescue of the "Clippers" franchise after Adam forced the execrable Donald Sterling to sell the team and banned him "for life" from the NBA. Ballmer and Adam, it is not too much a stretch to assert, saved the NBA. A critical, and growing, mass of players were not going to play as long as Sterling was owner. Mark Cuban, another guy with a conscience, and former owner of Dallas, has already said that he stands with Ballmer. Ballmer is by all accounts a model owner and person.
The "Clippers" have put out a statement denying all of Pablo Torre Finds Out's evidence, calling them "provably false." They may regret that. But this is all to say that if there is a reasonable way to do so, the NBA will not want to whack Ballmer as they would some less-revered owner.
And they may, that's may, have something to hang on. Shams Charania, the reporter of record on the Association, has characterized the NBA's task as a very high one where there must be "hard evidence", not just "circumstantial" evidence of Ballmer or the "Clippers" guilt. That is overstating the standard of proof. The NBA's is not a criminal case. Circumstantial evidence is evidence, even in criminal court, and circumstantial evidence cases can be extraordinarily compelling, irrefutable in many instances, more compelling in fact than direct evidence cases. PTFO's circumstantial case is extraordinarily compelling; it is also not completely circumstantial. There is direct testimony, and documentary "hard evidence" that this transparent and "illegal", i.e. against the NBA's salary cap rules, deal was done precisely... to circumvent the salary cap rules.
In criminal law there are two fundamental questions for the jury to answer: 1) was the crime committed and 2) was the defendant the one to committed the crime. The "crime" of circumventing the salary cap is proven, imo, beyond a reasonable doubt. Is there any reasonable doubt that the "Clippers" are the ones who circumvented the cap? Ballmer appeared alongside Aspiration owner Joseph Sanberg to announce the team sponsorship deal. Aspiration signage was all over Ballmer's arena, including on seat backs. Kawhi Leonard signed contracts (and had the side deal with Aspiration) to play for the "Clippers", and did play for them. Leonard's representative, Dennis Robertson, asked the owners of the Los Angeles "Lakers" and Toronto "Raptors" for the same cap-circumventing endorsement side-deals and was told that they were not permitted. The universe of other possible suspects is limited to twenty-nine. Only owners or those controlling an org. are subject to the Association's policies on paying players. Kawhi Leonard is not an owner; "Uncle Dennis" is not an owner. Perhaps Micky Arison circumvented the "Clippers'" salary cap for the benefit of the "Clippers" and Steve Ballmer? The reasonable universe of subjects is limited to...one. I await the "Clippers" "provably false" defense. I don't see it as reasonable. And to the NBA, this is a capital case.
Whatever the NBA's burden of proof, it will ensure that that standard is met, and perhaps more than met, before they strap Steve Ballmer and the "Clippers" into their electric chair. But it says here that he and the org. he owns will not walk.
6:17 pm:
In what looks like a slam-dunk case put together by influential Pablo Torre Finds Out,* Kawhi Leonard's contract with the other Los Angeles basketball franchise was corrupted with intent to circumvent the NBA's salary cap rules by a side deal involving a "no work" job for a company that team owner Steve Ballmer co-founded with $50M. PTFO podcasted its findings, with internal documents and testimony from insiders yesterday. The NBA announced an investigation based on the report today. If an air-tight case is validated by the Association, and if it punishes the "Clippers" in a manner commensurate with the sanctions it levied against Minnesota 25 years ago, the "Clippers" will be under water for a decade. According to the report, Leonard invited this and his reputation stands to be stained a deeper black than it already was.
*
Marc Stein
@TheSteinLineThe alleged violations in this incredibly detailed @PabloTorre report are staggering and without precedent.
The Clippers told Torre any assertion of wrongdoing involving Steve Ballmer or the team is "provably false."
A story that has shaken the NBA -- already -- like very few.
10:17 AM · Sep 3, 2025