NBA must prove Clippers cap circumvention, Silver says
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NEW YORK — NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated Wednesday that the league, not the Los Angeles Clippers, carries the burden of proof in the ongoing probe into alleged salary-cap circumvention involving team owner Steve Ballmer and forward Kawhi Leonard.
“The burden is on the league if we’re going to discipline a team, an owner, a player or any constituent members of the league,” Silver told reporters during his annual news conference following the Board of Governors meetings in Midtown Manhattan.
The investigation centers on Leonard’s $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration, a now-bankrupt green banking firm in which Ballmer had invested. An unidentified former Aspiration employee told podcaster Pablo Torre last week that the payment was meant “to circumvent the salary cap.”
The league hired New York law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to conduct the inquiry and has set no deadline for its completion. Silver, who said he possesses “very broad powers in these situations,” emphasized that the process would focus on the “totality of the evidence,” not “mere appearance” of impropriety.
Silver added that fellow governors have reserved judgment, noting that the commissioner’s office is tasked with safeguarding the league’s integrity. “Let’s all withhold judgment, let’s do this investigation, and then we will come back to you in terms of our findings,” he said.
Other topics from Silver’s media session
All-Star Game format: The commissioner confirmed plans to debut a three-team showcase featuring 16 American players and eight international players at February’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles. He called increasing player engagement in the event a priority.
Potential European league: Silver said discussions continue on an NBA-operated league in Europe, describing it as a separate initiative from any domestic expansion. He and deputy commissioner Mark Tatum met with European stakeholders over the summer, and conversations with the EuroLeague remain ongoing.
Malik Beasley investigation: Silver declined to specify any playing restrictions on the free-agent guard while both NBA and federal investigations into gambling allegations proceed, saying only that the league will address “whatever is presented to us” in the case.
Source: ESPN.com
