September 09, 2025

What We’ve Learned About the Kawhi Leonard Situation—and What We Haven’t: According to veteran journalist Pablo Torre’s reporting, in 2021 Clippers owner Steve Ballmer invested $50 million in a start-up company called Aspiration—and Aspiration in turn signed Leonard to a $28 million “no-show” endorsement deal.

posted by NoMich to basketball at 01:22 PM - 2 comments

For the Clips to be "bleeped", they first have to be "bleeped up", which it seems they are.

Ballmer way overpaid when he bought into the league. Donald Sterling was massively rewarded for being Donald Sterling. Ballmer paid an unprecedented premium in a compulsory divestment situation. Franchise sale prices had been cooking along at around the 500-600 million dollar mark and Ballmer comes in at 2 billion - to a seller with zero leverage. That blew the doors open and now franchise values are up beyond earth's atmosphere.

It's hard to part a fool from his money in a meaningful way when the fool has as much money as Ballmer does.

I wouldn't be disappointed if the NBA forced Ballmer to sell. If he does, he'll be rewarded the same way Sterling was.

posted by beaverboard at 09:41 PM on September 09, 2025

As a Raptors fan, I was disappointed when Kawhi left, and it's been a bumpy road as the club rebuilds.
However, as time has gone on, so thankful MLSE didn't get him signed.

posted by tommybiden at 07:10 AM on September 10, 2025

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