Fabulous podcast by Pablo Torre about what sounds like blatant corruption in the NBA, plus speculation for how the Clippers might try to get away with it

Happy Birthday, Kawhi!🥳

For every comment/retweet, @Aspiration will plant one tree for Kawhi's birthday! pic.twitter.com/dHOS8sgyWT

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) June 29, 2023

The latest episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out is around 90 minutes long, and features terrific storytelling about what seems like a nesting doll of corruption and criminality in politics, sports, and greenwashing.


Here's a thoughtful response from Dame Lillard's manager (he's posted additional thoughts):

For instance if the patch sponsor of the Knicks signs Jalen Brunson to an endorsement deal, they don’t want to keep paying him in the instance he gets traded to a team that they don’t sponsor…

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) September 3, 2025

Of course, I’ve never seen an instance of a player not actually being asked to activate. But Kawhi can say that’s not on him. That’s on Aspiration for not making the asks. Didn’t see any emails saying don’t ask Kawhi to activate this partnership.

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) September 3, 2025

Unless there’s evidence that Aspiration employees were told do not activate Kawhi or don’t make asks, then no. He signed his deal with a team sponsor (common practice for a team star). They didn’t utilize him…that’s on them. https://t.co/Cfq9JNsTQb

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) September 3, 2025

Lastly, I’ve seen people compare this to the Joe Smith situation. The difference is KG’s former agent burned the entire thing down b/c he was pissed about KG firing him for Andy Miller. You’ll need that person or correspondence proving the deal was a sham

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) September 3, 2025

A 2019 tweet for some background:

Kawhi's uncle, Dennis Robertson, reportedly asked the Raptors, Lakers and Clippers for part ownership of the team, a private plane, house and guaranteed amount of endorsement money, per @sam_amick.

The NBA investigated and found no evidence the Clippers granted those requests. pic.twitter.com/l7R2NARpr4

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 23, 2019

And coincidentally, a new article I saw today (she's tweeted additional examples):

a commentator describes how many rules are 'fake', which means that if you follow them you get punished: pic.twitter.com/xdKSUinh2C

— Kelsey Piper (@KelseyTuoc) September 3, 2025

Finally, is this tee available yet?

Gonna sell this for $28 million pic.twitter.com/fkeLRNQ1yt

— J.E. Skeets (@jeskeets) September 3, 2025

Tonight's highlight reel for the Blazers rookie center

YANG HANSEN DIME MONTAGE 👀

Trail Blazers-Warriors on ESPN2 as part of #NBA2KSummerLeague! pic.twitter.com/vB9p1P9G7O

— NBA (@NBA) July 12, 2025

Charting the NBA Baddie Index (do NBA players perform better when trying to impress)

@nbaresdev

they are indeed affected by those baddies

♬ original sound - nbaresdev

Related:

This will simultaneously be the best and worst day of Dylan Harper’s life pic.twitter.com/bLUeS5f9m1

— 🏆LakersGuru🏆 (@GuruLakers) June 26, 2025

Lots of jokes, but despite his dad being the NBA player, mom was the coach (and had murder in her eyes):

How did NBA Lottery Pick Dylan Harper turn into the player he is today? You can look directly to his mom.

Maria Harper coached Dylan through high school at Don Bosco Prep and watched every step he evolved into one of the best players in the country.

We go back in time to 2023… pic.twitter.com/cQIy32Fsoa

— Jersey Sports Zone (@JSZ_Sports) June 25, 2025

Jalen Brunson lookalike contest

@bleacherreport Jalen Brunson look-alike contest is WILD 😭🤣 (Via @yerr.nyc) #nba #nbabasketball #basketball #nbaplayoffs #knicks ♬ original sound - bleacherreport

Good Haliburton illustration

Some true nightmare fuel from Grant Thomas on the Y! Sports design team to run with my ECF Game 1 story: yhoo.it/3ZoRPld

[image or embed]

— Dan Devine (@yourmandevine.bsky.social) May 22, 2025 at 12:34 PM

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Grant Thomas (@gtdsn)

Breaking down the last play:

Myles Turner could have gotten the final shot. Aaron Nesmith could have gotten the final shot. But Tyrese Haliburton read a clever Knicks defense and became the hero.@DannyLeroux and I break down the Pacers' final possession of the fourth quarter: pic.twitter.com/gOp2Ibx1SH

— Nate Duncan (@NateDuncanNBA) May 22, 2025

David Stern would have walked out with John Haliburton for Game 2 like Paul Heyman.

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 22, 2025

Hali daddy in here clowning 😂 YES’CERSSSS @Pacers pic.twitter.com/s3dUO5FmmE

— Nurse Ky👩🏽‍⚕️ (@pplcallme_Ky) May 22, 2025

Larry David looked thrilled to hold the ball for a social media photo 😂 pic.twitter.com/f9yfBjKABs

— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) May 21, 2025

Dressing up as the giant Minion at Universal Studios you can see from the 101 freeway, and a bunch of other funny deep-cut costumes

Happy Halloween from The Valley @americanamemes pic.twitter.com/2dRTwd4TDO

— Brandon Tao (@BrandonJTao) October 27, 2024

Nike's fun new ad celebrating Bron and Bronny

Don’t be late ROOK! 🤣🤴🏾👑🫡 pic.twitter.com/zxR6O8ewJp

— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 22, 2024

Also:

All we ask for is one Anthony Edwards fast break with Bronny as the only man back. LeBron realizes it, panics, and sprints back trying for a chasedown like Mufasa seeing Simba in the gorge. We win either way. https://t.co/PnUxlV7tjB

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) October 22, 2024

Speaking of the NBA, I sometimes leave ESPN on in the background while I work--unless I'm imagining it, the noon NBA show has devolved to starting with a topic (the Knicks might struggle to start the season due to injury) and then revisiting the exact same topic later in the show, sometimes with a different cast member, presumably for the sole purpose of creating self-contained clips to be uploaded to social media.

Also, I watched channel 13 in Los Angeles for possibly the first time in years last night to watch the Chargers game--I thought I had the wrong channel when I went there a few minutes early, because it's devolved from being an independent channel to simply showing channel 11's news broadcast.

California is contemplating a law that would give special alcohol-buying privileges to members of Ballmer stadium's private luxury suites

LAT:

It is illegal to serve alcohol in California between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., and bartenders who do could be charged with a misdemeanor.

...

The bill, which was approved with little debate on the Senate floor Tuesday and now heads to the Assembly, would allow alcohol to be served until 4 a.m. to dues-paying members of private suites inside of Intuit Dome, the $2-billion, 17,700-seat new home of the Los Angeles Clippers

...

the legislation has drawn criticism as an unfair abuse of financial and political power.

Jaylen Brown's new photos look like rejected Costacos Brothers poster concepts

Take this pic before I drown pic.twitter.com/38mhDaufyY

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) August 18, 2024

Tiktoks of people complaining the Intuit Dome's grand opening concert was a disaster

@toiletpaperandbandaids it goes without saying that this is not at all a diss to bruno, he was 10000/10, but the intuit dome needs to burn down. respectfully. @Intuit Dome @intuit seek help. #pov #review #burnitdown #failure #intuitdome ♬ USA - The Star Spangled Banner - American National Anthem (Instrumental) - Glocal Orchestra

@isickle YAY TECHNOLOGY #brunomars #intuitdome #clippers #concerts ♬ original sound - Tony

@thelastgen At the opening of Intuit Stadium for the Bruno Mars concert and its a DISASTER! You suck Intuit Stadium! You ruined my Dad’s birthday! #intuit #intuitdome #brunomars #disaster #lawsuit ♬ original sound - The Last Gen

One write-up.

Before it's deleted, enjoy the horrified French commentary for Steph Curry’s game winning threes

Here’s the French commentary to Steph Curry’s game winning threes.

You’re gonna love it 🤣🤣🤣🤣#Olympics #Basketball pic.twitter.com/MnusPwPzcu

— Justin 🇺🇸 (@justinc_99) August 10, 2024

Ant challenging the ping pongers

@teamusa The matchup we didn’t know we needed 😂 📺: @NBC Olympics & Paralympics & @Peacock #ParisOlympics | #OpeningCeremony ♬ original sound - Team USA

Great photos from Kendrick Lamar's Pop Out

xtra 1 pic.twitter.com/M04iNFSJGc

— BLACCMASS (@blaccmassxx) June 20, 2024

i will never capture a photo like this ever again pic.twitter.com/sO1xfwDYDA

— BLACCMASS (@blaccmassxx) June 20, 2024

pic.twitter.com/AmAZivABdY

— Follow @ Rap301_ (@RP301Media) June 20, 2024

Kendrick Lamar brings the West Coast onstage for "Not Like Us" encore performance

Russell Westbrook & DeMar DeRozan going crazy

The Pop Out Live @ The Forum in LA📍 pic.twitter.com/FBWauIfzG9

— SOUND (@itsavibe) June 20, 2024

Bron probably tried to run on stage and Savanah grabbed him by the back of his collar

— Exec.Producer of Da Simulation (@3eyesisenough) June 20, 2024

This is like “We Are the World” but for hating a guy.

— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) June 20, 2024

This is exactly how James Roday would do an impression of Luka Doncic in Psych

Uncharted levels of aura pic.twitter.com/CsMjdewtZ8

— Dalton Trigg (@dalton_trigg) May 27, 2024

They could give lessons based on this guy's leadership excellence

Great answer here from Anthony Edwards on KAT’s importance, and for him to “stop f**king fouling.” pic.twitter.com/B079yJ0Eo4

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) April 29, 2024

Play of the year by Andre Drummond

Adam Amin & Stacey King react to the worst Bulls fast break ever pic.twitter.com/fhH2bRJz1B

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) April 10, 2024

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! @shaqtin 😂😭 pic.twitter.com/Jx9Uk7tYQ0

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 10, 2024

HAHAHAHAHA pic.twitter.com/GkiBv3OhxJ

— ✶ Ⓜ️𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕤 ▶️ ✶ (@_MarcusD3_) April 10, 2024

pic.twitter.com/jdNkSY6n0V

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) April 10, 2024

If you want a NBA team to root against, listen to this podcast about "independent" mortgage brokers

On its face, the latest episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out sounds like it's describing what should be deemed blatant, massive fraud by an NBA owner. (The early response has been some finger-pointing by the the main players discussed in the episode.)

This is the in-game NBA moment described at the start of the episode, which really was a remarkable character moment: 

A player on the Toronto Raptors "is under investigation by the NBA following multiple instances of betting irregularities over the past several months"

ESPN, for example:

In the game on Jan. 26 against the LA Clippers, there was increased betting interest on the under for [his] props, which for the night were set at 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists. There was also an over/under for [his] made 3-pointers, which was 0.5.

The Cleveland Cavaliers head coach said he has been threatened by gamblers

#Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff makes a startling revelation in explaining why he feels sports gambling has already gone too far even though he understands the business reasons behind it now being embraced by professional leagues. pic.twitter.com/O5QX6snjuE

— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) March 20, 2024

ESPN:

Bickerstaff said he told security and that the gambler was located.

"No charges," Bickerstaff said. "But they found him."

A former Timberwolves employee has been criminally charged based on allegedly copying a hard drive belonging to the team's head of analytics

Star Tribune:

On Feb. 2, [the head of analytics] left his hard drive on his desk connected to one of his two laptops. Late in the afternoon of Feb. 3, a Saturday, security video captured [the employee] entering [the head of analytics]'s office. He then exited, looked around, went back into the office and left a minute later.