Following investigative journalist Pablo Torre's explosive report on Kawhi Leonard allegedly getting $28 million for a fake job so the Los Angeles Clippers could cheat the salary cap, he has indicated that he could look into Jalen Brunson's contract with the New York Knicks next.
During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, as seen in the clip below, it was suggested to Torre that it's now "safe" to expose other potential salary cap circumventions. "Yeah," replied Torre. "It's funny, my tip line has never been more used by enemies of Jalen Brunson. Like, 'Look into that one!' As well as like James Harden." Torre conceded that he might not investigate iBrunson's contractm but there's certainly potential there.
"Well, look, how he arrived at the Knicks, this is where I have to defer to the reporting I may or may not do on this, certainly was interesting," he said. "Right? Like, 'Okay, that's a pretty good deal for the Knicks.' Anyway, I don't want to get ahead of myself in terms of that."
Brunson signed a four-year, $156.5 million extension last offseason, leaving significant money—as much as $113 million to be precise—on the table. While the move was praised in New York, giving the Knicks more of an opportunity to build a great team around him, it has raised eyebrows elsewhere. Last fall, the NBA reviewed whether the Knicks’ promotion of Brunson’s father, Rick, factored into Jalen’s initial signing in 2022. Madison Square Garden officials dismissed the suggestion as “offensive.”
The NBA has precedent for punishing circumvention, as shown in 2000, when the Minnesota Timberwolves were fined over $3 million and docked multiple first-round picks for their under-the-table agreement with Joe Smith.
Following the reports about Kawhi Leonard's $28 million "no-show job" with a tree planting company, which Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was also involved with, the NBA announced that it has launched an investigation into the matter. It has been alleged, through people who worked at the company that gave Leonard the "no-show job," that Ballmer funneled millions to the Clippers star using the company. The Clippers have denied any wrongdoing.
