We dropped Part 1 of our Clippers investigation way back on September 3 — almost a month ago now — and if you’ve been thinking to yourself that there are too many findings to keep track of…
I feel you.
In this episode alone, Part 5, we get into new details about the $48 million that Kawhi Leonard was supposed to get from Aspiration… and new details about the role of his own personal camp in that deal… and new details about the deepening connection between Steve Ballmer and the co-founder of Aspiration, all of which will be “germane” to the NBA’s investigation. (A key adjective here!)
But the other big reason we’re doing a Part 5 is because we actually want to acknowledge the complexity involved.
As well as our detractors.
We want to try and simplify the story of what our reporting suggests is the largest salary-cap circumvention scheme in sports history. A deeply elaborate effort to bend a cardinal rule that was designed to regulate the unfair extra spending of billionaires. A rule, by the way, that too rarely exists in American life otherwise.
And in so doing, we want to make clear that some parts of this alleged scheme are very, very smart.
But some other parts are very, very stupid.
YOUTUBE SPOILER ALERT:
Thank you,
Pablo