The NBA and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer are working toward a resolution.
As the NBA's investigation of the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard in regard to a potential attempt at salary cap circumvention through an endorsement deal between Leonard and Aspiration, along with potentially several other endorsement deals, one of the biggest issues preventing the conclusion of the investigation has been finding an end result that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer would agree to without a further challenge.
It's been proposed throughout this investigation that should the findings or the end result of the investigation be something that Ballmer disagrees with, he could issue a legal challenge of his own and send the case to a third-party neutral arbitration council consisting of three members selected by both the NBA and NBPA.
LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer reacts against the San Antonio Spurs in the first half at Intuit Dome. Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesThat result has the potential to drag on the investigation not only into next season, but into next year, and the biggest issue with the investigation at this point and the difficulties that it's created for business throughout the NBA is just how long the investigation has actually taken.
Ballmer and NBA In Talks
But the NBA and Ballmer may be working toward a resolution of that difficulty. According to a recent report from ESPN's Ramona Shellburne, Ballmer and the league office are in conversation about a settlement or "some kind of negotiation" for the end result of the investigation.
Los Angeles Clippers ownerSteveBallmer, right, congratulates head coach Tyronn Lue after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers at Intuit Dome. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesShellburne's report also indicated that the focus of the investigation has shifted away from the idea that the Clippers used Aspiration as a shell to pay Leonard directly, but rather that the Clippers were irresponsible in their supervision of Leonard's endorsement deal with Aspiration, which was a team sponsor at the time.
ESPN indicated that new development in a recent report that was then refuted by the NBA in an official statement, which said the report contained inaccurate information, so there is still a large degree of uncertainty surrounding the official contents of the investigation at this point, something that has further made it difficult to predict if there's an end in sight.
LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer (right) and Vic Blends aka Victor Fontanez (right) after the game against the Houston Rockets at the Intuit Dome. Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesWhy It's Important To Wrap Up Investigation Soon
But Shellburne's report does present a light at the end of the tunnel and if negotiations between Ballmer and the NBA are going well, then there may be a conclusion by the beginning of the season, if not soon after that, finally allowing the Clippers to address any consequences they may face and move forward in their trade of Leonard to the Toronto Raptors.
But while things seem to be moving forward, it's still simply a waiting game until the actually do.
