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Now, on with the show. Don't blink. If you're a blinker, cut your eyelids off. This is the Rich Eisen Show. We do not care.
Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. The Rich Eisen Show. Today's guest: NBC Sports NFL analyst Mike Tomlin. Host of Pablo Torre finds out. Pablo Torre, Giants running back Cam Scataboo.
Actor Mark Wahlberg. And now, it's Rich Eisen. All right, everybody, welcome to this. Addition to the Rich Eisen Show live in Los Angeles, California. Everybody, we are.
was one week away. From the National Football League season starting and having a conversation about it, because at this very point next week, we'll be able to talk about. Seahawks and Patriots kicking it all off and getting ready for Rams and Forty Niners in Australia. That's how we're rolling into this show with Mike Tomlin joining us for the first time. as a pundit.
He'll be first up on this program. NBC Sports, ladies and gentlemen, Mike Tomlin is going to be joining us. Cam Scatitibo, Cam Scataba of the New York Football Giants is joining us. And I got to be honest. I kind of, he's one of the white whales we've been hunting to have in our studio and sit down with us.
uh for as long as he wants. And his name is Mark Wahlberg, and he's going to join us in hour number three physically right here. And I have to say, in the history of celebrity true or falses, this one's going to be epic. Because we're going to ask about Boogie Nights and The Depott and Ted and Invincible. And we got to go to the other guys.
It's one of our favorite movies to talk about. Have to. Suze is going to stop by Women's Sports Now is later on today. Uh oh.
Somebody found out. His name is Pablo. He's going to be joining us at the end of this hour. Hello, Chris Brockman. How are you?
Regis and I'm excellent. Say how to you, motherfucker. Jason Feller, how are you? Hello. TJ Jefferson holding up the Kawhi Leonard.
What is this? That's not a fat head. Oh, it's a fat head. Yeah, it's still a tathead. All right, very good.
We just ditched them now. Listen. It's over. Hold on a minute. Keep that handy.
It was one year ago today. Today. September 3rd, 2025, that Pablo Torrey put out his podcast about the Los Angeles Clippers and what they were allegedly up to with. Kawhi Leonard. Um skirting the Okay.
salary cap system in the National Basketball Association, finding out about basically a No-show job, allegedly. You got to say allegedly, because there's a lot of lawyers. There's a lot. of angry people and there's a lot of rich litigious people who can uh sue the pants off you.
So you gotta tiptoe lightly. But uh in the world of lightly tiptoeing, Adam Silver had his David Stern moment. If you will. Where he's out of you know what's to give. and on behalf of the Association He's going to tell a Los Angeles based team.
You're not going to like what I have to say. But I guess. Telling the Lakers they can't get Chris Paul has got nothing on this. Right? The landing here.
Yes. Of five first-round selections, a year-long suspension for Steve Bomer. Two other executives. including Lawrence Frank. Getting suspended without pay.
Monitoring program for five years. I don't know what that is. Is that non-secret double probation? It's like, yeah, I guess. And Uncle Dennis, as he is known, the longtime business manager and relative of Kawhi Leonard.
Five years, a five-year ban from the National Basketball Association from 2029 through 2020. Thirty-three. The Los Angeles Clippers. will not have a single First round draft choice. To use, which means.
Okay. Which means Again. At the end of the day You know, there's a lot of finger-pointing going on right now. The Clippers don't seem to be ready to go gently. Into that good night.
Put the statement up if you don't mind. They vehemently reject the NBA findings. Which is very similar to strenuously object. Yeah, oh no, no, no, no, no, no, I strenuously object. Who's going to have a problem with this?
You, Lieutenant Palmer? We vehemently reject the NBA's findings, which are the result of a heavily biased investigation, seeking to justify a predetermined narrative rather than the facts and evidence. What the League told us privately differs from what it announced today publicly, and they have not held themselves close to the standard Commissioner Silver set at the start of this investigation to ensure its fairness and accuracy. For the past year, we cooperated fully and in good faith. We'll now.
Uh fight just as hard to demonstrate. our innocence We intend to, as you can see on the screen, vigorously challenge these findings and penalties through every avenue available to us and look forward to an ethical and impartial arbitration process. There were some other statements as well. on that front. Listen, it's a 36-page document that the law firm that was hired to investigate this for a year.
Put out a summary of findings. It's dense, it's sometimes difficult to follow. But the bottom line is If the Clippers did it, and it sure looks like the NBA believes that they have, and they hit them so hard. That it's difficult to fathom. You can't really comprehend.
how to to uh um Compare it. It's difficult to compare to anything else. But At the end of the day. This thing sticks. And there's no One would think massive legal brawl that somebody who's got gajillions of dollars can fund because he wants to attend his team's games and feels that this is.
an unfair Result And Steve Ballmer has those deep pockets, and one would think he's going to come with every possible. Possible. legal weapon at his disposal. The total cost. Of Kawhi Leonard signing with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Oh, man. Yeah. Is staggering. It hurt me to read this. Shea Gilgis Alexander.
Jalen Williams. There on Another team.
Okay. Two first round pick swaps and ten. Count them. Five is part of the TAN acquisition. and now five as part of the aftermath.
Of the punishment. of apparently What was happening? Ten first round picks, ten of them. And Kawhi Leonard I have not mentioned yet. Kawhi Leonard.
All the NBA pops him for is a $700,000 fine. Which is, by the way. An affront. I don't understand that part of it. Especially if he made $28 million from this whole thing that caused this whole thing.
Seven hundred grand. And He gets to go play for the Toronto Raptors next year. Yeah, he gets out of jail. There's no sit-down.
So he's just what a dupe? Maybe so. He's a dupe that Uncle Dennis was doing all this stuff, and the Clippers were running around. Doing all this stuff. Allegedly.
Doing all this stuff. And Kawhi's just like, uh-oh, I'll just shoot buckets. I'll come back from my knee injuries. Board, man. Is that it?
I mean, apples. I mean, really, like, there's not to take a side, but yeah, when you're that good at basketball, I'm sure he was just. What? I don't know. Why?
He was playing basketball and the business people were probably and he had no idea about it.
Well, that when he shows up in his bank account. What's this for? His uncle was stone. I didn't plant a tree. What?
Look, we know how this works. Really?
Okay. I don't know. I saw that and I'm like. People are s you know, in the front offices are being sacked. Without pay.
Oh, I'm afraid of it. In the case of Kawhi Leonard, he's just the one that just. Gets to go and continue his craft and just say, snap off $700,000. He put out a statement that's, by the way, completely different from what Clipper said. Exactly.
Where he's talking about, I, you know, integrity and respect for this game are fundamental to who I am. I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret. The distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family. Oh. Lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle.
That is next level, like a wardrobe malfunction spin to try and create some sort of sense. Of uh Um Innocence. But by it just strains credulity. I keep that up on the screen if you don't remind here. I entered into my contract with the Clippers as well as the agreements in question in good faith.
Fully committed to fulfilling my obligations and with no knowledge of any intent or anyone's part to circumvent the salary cap.
So wait a minute, you accept responsibility for what? Not knowing what others are doing on your behalf to put money in your pocket? For 15 years, my priority has been giving everything to my family, the game and those I share the court with. As I return to Toronto, always page turning, folks, I'm focused on what I can control, closing this chapter and moving forward with a clean slate. Wow.
If he literally planted a couple of trees, none of this would have happened. Right. Seems like it. I don't know. Again, this is way too dense.
That's part of the reason why we're having Pablo Torrey on shortly. But The Clippers Here. Have a massive Massive problem.
Okay. Yeah. Their relationship with their association is fractured.
Okay. And Fractured. if not utterly destroyed. It's now going to be full-on legal battle going down. Right now.
Front office executives, plural, have been suspended. without pay. Bomber's not allowed to sit in there and look at his beautiful wall that he's built. His own building, he can't go into. That's correct.
Can't step up. $30 million fine. $5. First round picks, five years probation. And Kawhi Leonard.
is going to be playing for the Toronto Raptors. Scot-free, with the exception of $700,000 and questions about his integrity that he says in a statement he cares about. But at the end of the day, He knows he's going in this Into Massachusetts one day. Yeah. He's going to get his orange jacket.
Also, Steven Wallmer, like, he got off easy. What do you mean? $30 million fine is $20 to a regular person. I guess. And he's lucky they didn't take the team away.
That's Something that you just you can't force someone to sell unless this is already there's already a precedent in the NBA forcing owners to sell with that team.
Well, I mean. But that was justified, in my opinion. There's a vast difference between what. Yeah. The Clippers have done to circumvent the cap, which is one thing to tell another team in the NBA: don't even think of trying this again because look what we just did to the Clippers.
Spitting in the eye of literal black and white rules. And this is not the first time he did. And what Donald Sterling did, those things aren't even in the same realm of the planet Earth. At all. One is a rules violation.
The other is just a disgusting human rights violation. Yeah, I mean. But that said. That said. Kawhi off in Toronto, $700,000 fine.
A massive Sink hole. In Englewood, California right now. Kawhi Leonard. His acquisition by the Los Angeles Clippers. is now on the Mount Rushmore.
of the worst acquisitions in the history of professional sports. On planet Earth. I don't even know. What could compare to this? I mean, it knocks Herschel Walker off the top.
Boom. Deshaun Watson. Deshaun Watson. I mean this. Eight.
Nothing. compared to that. For him to come here and basically say, I'm only coming here if you get me Paul George, and then they do that. and the Oklahoma City Thunder. use all of that capital and players to build what they have built in their conference.
And then Part, I guess, according to these documents, according to the NBA. part of bringing Kawhi there. Had a whole bunch of side deals. And you look at the amount of money it's for. Chump change compared to everything else that's going on right now.
Chump. Change. And look who's the chump. I don't know, man. Kawhi won't care being called a chump.
He won't care. But everybody else involved in this is now left holding the bag. Hold in the bag. And you could sit here and say, That's just desserts. It's just like, read the summary, listen to what.
what Pablo is going to be saying later on this hour, what he said on his pod. All of it. But the worst, name me another, name me another guy. Or Woman. Who was acquired by a team?
That also leaves the team that gets him ringless. Ringless. Honestly. On a Mount Rushmore, and perhaps the worst. Acquisition in the history.
of professional sports. On planet Earth. I can't make the galaxy then, because I don't know what professional leagues there are outside of Space Champions. I mean, look, we don't pay attention to the soccer world in Europe that much. There could be something on that.
I don't know. On par of 10 first-round picks and an MVP and a champion? For another franchise. Yeah. Okay.
And I said my piece. It's rough. Pablo Torrey is going to join us after Mike Tomlin. We take a break here on the Rich Eisen Show before we go. A SoFi personal loan is here to help you achieve something once thought impossible: overcoming high-interest credit card debt.
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I just said those words. A football night in America when we come back. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. And certainly, there are going to be things to criticize. That's football.
But I think I'm going to approach it in the same spirit in which I approached it as a coach, which is tell the truth while at the same time being sensitive to the fact that. You know, it's not always easily digestible. Mike Tomlin here on the Rich Eisen Show in advance of. Sunday Night Football, Football Night in American, and another great season on NBC Sports. You're the perfect guy to ask this question to because I heard this soundbite from Aaron Rodgers talking about.
I don't know if you heard this about Roman Wilson in practice. And an interception that the media saw get thrown. And here was his answer. My common. Yeah, Roman made a rebeat mistake.
You know, that's a good argument because I don't think he's going to do that again. But he did the same thing. in early in training camp and we said, Hey, On that under route, you gotta keep coming.
So I think it's the best that happened in practice. Roman is a great kid. He's had a fantastic camp. I have utmost confidence in him. Um Yeah, he's gonna have to play a big role for us.
But mistakes can happen. That's a great one to happen in practice. But uh He's gotten a lot better and I'm really proud of owning him. How do you interpret that, Mike? It's a teachable moment.
Um You know, he's acknowledging that he is a young developing player. He's also educating him to the fact that As long as you're having new issues, then progress is being made. Repeat errors, there's a price to pay for that. And so he's wrapping them on the beak. While at the same time, uh putting his arm around him.
And I think Aaron does a great job of managing that. utilizing media opportunities to do both. I just think it's a component of leadership. is certainly a component of his leadership style. And I'm sure because of his ability to develop Individual relationships that is received in the right spirit from Roman.
What's your opinion on how good the Steelers can be this year, Mike? Man, you know, I'm a still a fan, man. I'm not even going to. You know, I'm not even going to pretend that I'm not. I'm rooting for those guys.
Um I had a hand in selecting So many of those guys in a variety of ways. I think when you. You know, when you care and you have relationships. Um it's okay to root Um and I certainly think they're capable of being a really good team. Um but consciously I've kept my distance in terms of Reading up on them and following them, to be honest with you.
because I'm a fixer by nature. Um but you know I I'm not a component of what's going on there. And so I try to protect my sanity by by limiting my exposure to what's transpired in their developmental journey. Right, but do you think do you think they can make the Super Bowl? Mike Tommy.
I certainly do. I think that's the only reason Aaron comes back. Um he believes it. I believe it. I don't think he comes back if he doesn't believe that.
Um I think that they got the bones of having a good unit. Um In all three phases. Certainly, they're probably not being talked about. In the ways that some others are being talked about. But that can be a good motivator in a catalyst for them as well.
I I think they got high expectations, and I think they should have high expectations. Mike Tomlin here on the Rich Eisen Show, I guess if I had a peek in your rundown, if at least I was making it up on Sunday night football, and I'm sure they're They're going to hit on this. George Pickens, because you're going to see the Cowboys and the Giants in your first Sunday night football, a football night in America. And I know you had George, you drafted him, and then there was just obviously a separating of the ways. What, Mal, more, can you share about why Pickens was no longer on Pittsburgh and has been blossoming in Dallas?
Mike. You know, I just think I just think you draft young players that are talented. You help them develop. If they're developing in the right ways, if they fit your long-range plans, then you do second contract business with them. Um it didn't happen for us.
With George, but it doesn't necessarily mean that he's not going to be a spectacular player. I think he's already proven. Um Proven that to a degree with his first year. In Dallas, but there's also been something that's stopped Dallas from making that long-term commitment to him as well. Um You know, I think he still has something to prove.
Knowing him, that doesn't bother him. He just loves to play football. He's extremely talented. And so, you know, get your cameras ready, man, for week one, because that's what GP does. He makes plays.
So, what do you think he does have to prove, Mike? Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high-interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an Audible with a SoFi personal loan. It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required. And with as soon as the same day funding, you can make the right play fast.
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You know, I I can't speak for what transpired. Um you know, in Dallas in terms of You know what he has to prove to those guys in an effort to secure a long-term deal or be a component of their long-term plans. For us, I just thought it's not only play. But it's development in other areas, intangible areas. I think when you're a high-dollar second contract guy, I think there's some leadership responsibilities and things of that nature.
And I just don't feel like that was in his natural wheelhouse. We felt better about DK's abilities in those areas. Mike Tomlin here on the Rich Eisen Show.
So, a few minutes left with Coach. and now of NBC Sports. What would I I know you're not an outside noise guy, right? Like you wouldn't bring like this is what they're saying about us into your locker room. I understand that.
But that said, Aaron Donald is now with Miles Garrett on the Los Angeles Rams, who had last year's run So close to the Super Bowl, and all of us in the media are talking about how unbeatable they're going to be. What would you say to your team with the Rams coming into your house or you going into theirs? with that. You know, reputation and resumes don't win football games. Play does.
And so Um I just think that that's always the case. That's what I would say if I was facing those guys. Um they seem like uh you know a super team, if you will. But 12 months ago, I think the Philadelphia Eagles seemed like a super team as well. And so I think there's a collective developmental component to team.
And the intangible things oftentimes determine who gets out of the stadium. with a win or a loss. I've always respected the intangible component. I've always Fought to windy intangible components. You can't measure it, but you know it exists.
You know it's a component of determining wins and losses. And so may you try to position your team to win the intangible component of play. The selflessness, the the playmaking from a variety of places, the hand and the power component. I just think that's how you combat. Super players and super teams, and certainly.
The Rams have the ingredients to be that. Mike, I wish you the best of luck in your first season doing this. I just, you do strike me as just. relaxed and and happy and and You know, turning a page. Is that an appropriate way of looking at it, or you feel like this is just a sabbatical?
What do you think? Mike, um, you know. I don't know about the long-term component of things. I've just lived enough to know. Um that that that You leave certain doors ajar.
Um But man, I gotta admit, man, my post rate is pretty low these days. I've enjoyed my summer home, man, to the fullest. Uh, it's been a good, good off-season. Maybe that's because uh McCordy hasn't uh popped one of your meetings on Facebook Live, streaming it to everyone. Maybe that's why you're all enjoying it so far, Mike.
Hey, hey, you know how it is, man. There, there's some variables to that job I left. Uh, variables to the job you left. That's why you're perfect for this gig, man. Your way with words is impeccable.
Uh, thanks for the time. You be well, enjoy it. Hey, Rich, man, it's always a pleasure to be with you, man. All the best to you. Right back at you.
Say hi to everybody at NBC Sports. Great people working there. Studio analyst. Paparazzi. Mike Tomlin, right here on the Rich Eisen Show.
There he goes. That was fun. It's great. Yeah. Variables.
Variables to the gig. No doubt about it. But listen, I'm. I've been, you know, mooch left after being a lifer and being around him. He.
Being around the stadium, I I I'm assuming he's gonna be um Are they taking the the studio to the site? I think they are. Just going back to the stadium. He's just gonna. I mean, you saw it from his energy at the Hall of Fame game.
He just loves it. Loves being around it and We'll see how ajar the door is going to be. Because I'll tell you what, after he does what he's going to do on Sunday night football, don't get phone calls. It's going to happen. Stay by the phone, man.
I may need you. Yeah. That's it. One of our favorite drops, all of the Tomlinism drops.
So are you saying he's there for a good time, not a long time? I would say that. I don't know. He said the same thing about Bill Cower. I would say that too.
Because I saw Bill. And um At the Hall of Fame. With his awesome wife, who I got to know through when Thursday Night Football was associated with CBS for a while. And we were still going to the sites there at NFL Network. And um He said that s he got a knock on the door.
a couple of years afterwards and fought like Real quickly about it. And moved on. And you know how long he's been doing? He's 20 years old. Oh, man.
Forever. Cower's been 20 years in the media. Yeah. That's crazy. That's nuts.
And you know, so he He decided he's not going back. I don't know. I just think everyone assumes Tomlin will go back. He's going to get. And it's going to happen over and over and over again.
And he is going to be terrific at the job. But now I'm thinking, he he said 20 years he's never had an August.
Now that I think about it, Chris, after he gets a year of doing this and and sees the workload and good life, maybe more manageable, maybe he does it. And by the way, by the way, I'll tell you what's coming in the media too. People thinking that Aaron Rodgers just called out Roman Wilson. And he should just say, Yeah, interceptions happen and just move on. But Aaron Rodgers, as you know, is out of F's to give.
And Aaron Rodgers also has the ability to basically say, I'm a first-ballot Hall of Famer at the end of the road without any F's to give. Kid made a mistake. I love 'em. I thought that was a perfect. I love him.
I love him up. I think he's had a great camp, but he can't make these mistakes, like, which is, by the way, the truth. And you heard Tom and Bates said you hit him on the beak a little bit, wrapped him on the beak. And you and I looked at each other when he said it. I know.
You know, wrapped him on the beak a little bit.
Okay. And that's just fine. What I heard from Rogers is just fine. I but I figured, you know what? Hey, let's play it for Tomlin since Tomlin knows everything about it.
844-204-RICH, number to dial. When we come back. The man who found out. And we're appreciative of Pablo Torre, including us. in his, if you will, victory lab.
Hire right the first time with LinkedIn Hiring Pro. Get started by posting a free job at linkedin.com. Slash Eisen. Cam Scataboo lurks on our rundown. Mark Wahlberg in studio.
What a Thursday we have going on here. The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast. Back here on the Rich Eisen Show, let's go to the phone lines. Josh in Idaho, first and first up. What's up, Josh?
Hey, how you doing, Rich? What's going on? Hey, uh so I'm a Rams fan up here in Idaho, so I'm a You know, a dying breed up here, but I came up with a list listening to some other shows, debate where Stafford belongs in the rankings of history. And They say you can't be a top five or top ten because he wasn't steam proof, coach proof or roster proof. In Detroit, but Brady had Belichick, Brees had Peyton, Vent had Coward, and the Tomlin, you know, like you just had on, Mahomes had Reed.
We don't diminish those guys for having a great organization around them.
So, why did we diminish Stafford for not having one when he was in Detroit? Oh. Do you are you are uh I don't know if anyone is around here diminishing Stafford. Anyone who doesn't have to. No, no, no, not you guys.
It was a different show. Different show. Absolutely not. You know, let me just tell you this, sir. And I appreciate the call.
I said it last year. I said last year what Stafford had the ability to do now. uh was make the case for his Hall of Fame C candidacy? I think he's now in the Hall of Fame. I don't know if he's a first ballot guy.
I mean, Kurt wasn't a first-ballot guy. There's a whole host of quarterbacks that were not first-ballot guys. He may not be a first-bout guy. If he wins a Super Bowl in another MVP, he might be. That's for sure.
It's right there. It's all set up.
So that's the way I feel about Stafford. One year ago today, he found out. One year ago today he found out. And now uh I guess the Well I guess I don't know. Pablo, are you going to rename your show Pablo Torre FA?
Is the FA part about it? Part of it.
Someone F'd A.
Someone did something. Good to see you, sir. How are you? I'm trying to not get lost in the acronym as I am on Disney airwaves. I know I shouldn't have gone there myself.
That's my business. I'm going to unf that A for a second and say thank you for having me. My bad. An inartful way to welcome you. Are you aware it was one year ago today?
This is the one-year anniversary of your pod? I'm sure you are. I'm unfortunately very aware of how long my wife has said to me, you're still talking to people about this. And the answer is for 365 days, exactly today, we are talking about this.
Okay, so what does this ruling indicate to you? Pablo. That the scope that the NBA gave Wachtel Lipton, their outside counsel, was both specific. Not everything that we've reported is in the report. But within that specificity, that scope.
they found an almost bottomless rabbit hole. And that's what took a year. And so you see in this report aspiration, you see dectronics, you see the story that we've said. Uh thanks to Frankly, brave people who are willing to go on the record with me talking about the richest owner in American sports, Steve Ballmer. And What Wachtel Lipton found was that there was a pattern of behavior in which Steve Ballmer and his two lieutenants.
President of basketball, Lawrence Frank, president of business, Gillian Zucker. They orchestrated a scheme to use partners. In the intuitome, like aspiration, like dectronics, like locked-in insurance, like boingo wireless, to get Kawhi Leonard money well beyond the salary cap. In fact, so far beyond that the NBA. Painted out a punishment that seems to be the biggest punishment against an owner in the history of American sports.
So, um Part of your superpower of being a terrific journalist is. Mm-hmm. In order to be that, you gotta put yourself in other people's shoes to see. What might be happening from that point of view to try and lead to collecting data?
So in that spirit, Wh where does the Clipper's vehement response come from? Do you think? It's as good a question as any that's been asked this whole time, because from the beginning, When we went to comment. From the Clippers before episode one dropped One year ago, exactly today, we asked for an explanation. And the immediate response was.
This story you're trying to tell is provably false.
Soon after, in the second round of commentary, As Steve goes on ESPN and talks to Ramona and offers this testimony that is now in the NBA's report, by the way, because they fact-check and disprove those things as not true. He takes away provably false and he begins to threaten To explain what really happened here, such that. This weird podcaster would be embarrassed, such that anybody who believed the sources I was relying on would be. Regretful. In trying to tell that story.
And so for a year, we've waited for the alternate rational explanation. And so, when they threaten it still today, after the NBA provides this 35-page report by Wachtel Lipton, which costs $50 million, that's $50 million coming out of Steve Ballmer's pocket, by the way. That's how the investigation is billed, as he pointed out in a letter to Adam Silver, in which he threatened the thing you're alluding to. They find a level of detail and documentation. and sourcing and testimony that we did not have access to.
But is from Lawrence Frank, who was taking contemporaneous notes, which is very interesting, which is from. Other emails that show that there's a manufactured paper trail that was meant to deceive the NBA. And so, how do you explain this if it's not exactly what now? The MBA and I have both said after, yeah, a year of investigating. I have no idea what else they're referring to.
All right, then.
Now, another one that you may have no idea. Kawhi Leonard's punishment. What are y what's your opinion of that? I have a I have a stronger idea about what happened here.
Something that the NBA had a firm grasp on that it does not seem like Steve Ballmer did, and I say this because after the punishment, the ruling is dropped. Palmer immediately threatens not a lawsuit, he threatens arbitration. He's going to go to arbitration. What the MBA has now confirmed Is that their grasp of the CBA? is quite Specific.
They understood that the CBA makes arbitration. A process that must be enacted by the player. and his union. And so when Kawhi Leonard says, Contra Steve Ballmer, Hey guys, my bad. I had an inner circle that was out of control.
I regret all this. I want to move on. Peace out. I'll see you in Toronto. What he's saying is, I have settled.
And he has, and the union has, meaning that arbitration is off the table. And Steve Ballmer can only go to the actual court system and sue everybody. Adam Silver, the NBA, Wachtel Lipton, me, you, whoever he wants. That's what he would be threatening. And the reason I think that says so much about Kawhi Leonard is because.
By a relative slap on the A slap on the wrist for Kawhi. $700,000 fine, right? No suspension. No voiding, no suspension. I'll see you in Toronto.
What Kauai did was give According to my reporting, a settlement. That ended up handicapping what Steve Ballmer. Could do legally. And that is fascinating.
Well, because two things.
So, Maya Culpa, I came on the air to start and I blasted. The $700,000 fine slap on the wrist, and he gets to go and move on in Toronto.
So now you're giving me the behind the curtain, if you will. political machinations. To lead to that, that the NBA was, I guess. Uh trading So they could make sure What? That bomber's use of arbitration was removed from the table because that benefits?
The larger fight they know is coming with the larger bucket of money to sue them. Pablo, am I picking up on that? Yeah, two things are true. Two things are true here. And your instinct.
Um How in the bleep? I went near you. Filling your profanity. Did Kawhi. basically skate here.
is a great question in terms of the merits. He was, of course, the protagonist. He and his uncle asked for all of it from multiple teams, and they got it from the Clippers. And he was the guy whose bank account received, according to my reporting, $48 million in total value from aspiration. That was the contractual value promised.
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Which I will foreshadow for you, but let's just say $66 million in total value. That's the guy who skated.
So why? is a political Question and answer And I believe, according to my reporting. That The NBA's incentive this whole time. Rich, was to make this all end. Can we get this podcast to stop having episodes about this?
Can we get the NBA to move on? Can we get people to stop asking about a deeply embarrassing thing for the whole sport? A cardinal rule was broken. Will there be accountability? How do we get past this?
What Steve Ballmer. has been rattling his saber, as you've alluded to before. He's been doing it now quite publicly for two weeks, by the way. What Steve Ballmer has signaled is that he doesn't want to settle. And so, what the NBA did, in lieu of the easy way, is they went a more clever way.
And they boxed Steve out from arbitration, which prevented the news cycle from lengthening in one regard and gave him one choice, which he can still choose, by the way. It just involved discovery and real court and more documents and more questions and a longer timeline and a lot more that we haven't even talked about yet, nor has the MBA. And so that is a question, of course, for him and his very expensive legal team, which, of course, we now behind the scenes have been getting to know quite well. The other option would be just accept it and move on. is what you're saying, and close it off, is what you're saying.
It would be something like accepting reality as reality.
Okay. Well, so I'm just trying to. you know, wind it up to this pitch.
So basically what you're saying Is my other opinion that I mention is that this is the worst acquisition in the history of sports anywhere on planet Earth. And we're assuming we're the only planet that may have professional sports, the galaxy.
Okay. We continue to investigate on that. Understood. Very good. That's something a future podcast for you to find out.
That would be great, by the way. Um that uh that it cost th the franchise SGA, Jalen Williams, 10 first-round picks, two first-round pick swaps.
Now you're saying, on top of all of that, Kawhi Leonard is now made a deal. with the NBA. Yeah. To get this result, That leaves Steve Bommer. in a worse position to fight it.
is what you're saying. On top of all of that, Problem. It's Perhaps the most poetic thing about this, Rich. He, this whole time, Kawhi Leonard, say what you will about the legal outcome here for him as a punishment. Talk about it as a story, right?
I'm not a lawyer. I'm not an outside counsel for the NBA. I'm the guy telling you the story as most transparently as I can. The story has been: Kawhi Leonard wanted things, only Steve Ballmer would give it. What did it cost Steve Ballmer?
Was a calculation that I believe Steve Ballmer severely. Messed up. And it becomes 10 first-round picks in totality. It becomes all the things you mentioned. And I think among them, by the way, I would highlight band from his own building that he funded with his own money.
Personally, the most expensive building in the history of American sports, the Intuitome, the site of all of this, by the nexus of all of these deals, he's banned for a year. And so there is insult, there is injury, but now. We're kind of in that scene in Batman, Christopher Nolan's Batman. In which Bain says to his accomplice They expect one of us in the wreckage, brother, and one guy parachutes out of there to Canada, and the other one is left holding every bag. That we've been describing.
And that is also the story of the Kawhi Leonard raid. It's the story of the investigation. It's the story of the ruling we've been waiting 364 days for. Wow. Haba, I've got a minute.
Where do you think it goes from here? Yeah. Look, we continue to report the story. There are some proper names we've investigated. We continue to investigate.
Dennis Wong is the limited partner of the Clippers. Ballmer owns 99%. Dennis Wong owns 1%. He's a character in the Aspiration story, as clear in the financial flow of money that has also been attested to.
Now by the NBA, as anybody. No mention of him in the report. Rhode Island Football Club, which is its own rabbit hole here. Takes us to the extension Kawhi signed in 2024 in January. The 2024 extension, I will simply say this, was sub-max, less than the max.
Given everything we now know about what happened through 22, why would he then take a discount? We continue to report that story. It involves us going to Rhode Island and a second-tier soccer club over there. There's just a lot more, man. Like, I hesitate to say this, but like.
Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show Podcast. You can watch and listen to The Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app, The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. With summer coming to an end, you're going to be spending more time indoors. Get your home ready and save up to 50% off custom window treatments during the Labor Day Mega Sale at Blinds.com. From room darkening to light-filtering shades, finding the perfect fit is easy.
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