Adam Silver talks Kawhi Leonard investigation, details possible new All-Star Game format and 'heave rule'

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the league will need clear evidence the Los Angeles Clippers violated the rules when the team signed Kawhi Leonard back in 2019. Leonard, his uncle, the Clippers and Steve Ballmer are under league investigation after a report emerged suggesting Leonard was paid $28 million for a “no show job” as a way for the team to circumvent the salary cap.

Silver spoke with reporters following the league’s Board of Governors meeting Wednesday, and said he will hesitate to take action against the team if there’s even a shred of doubt about the situation.

The issue stems from a partnership between Leonard and Aspiration — a now-bankrupt company funded by Ballmer. Legal documents revealed Leonard was paid $28 million by Aspiration to essentially do nothing. If Ballmer used that agreement as a way to pay Leonard more money so he would sign with the Clippers, all parties could face harsh penalties from the NBA. Both Ballmer and the Clippers denied the allegations that the Aspiration agreement was a way for the team to circumvent the rules.

Hours after that report emerged, the NBA announced it would look into the situation.

The league investigated Leonard’s uncle — Dennis Robertson — back in 2019 when it was reported Robertson asked teams for impermissible benefits during Leonard’s free agency. The league found no evidence that was the case in 2019.

New NBA All-Star Game format, explained

Silver also detailed changes he would like to make for the NBA All-Star Game. Silver said he wants to emulate the Ryder Cup format, with two teams from the United States and one World team. Silver added he would like to have the new format in place by the start of the regular season.

Silver did not go into detail on how the format would work in the NBA. In golf, the Ryder Cup features players from the United States taking on a team of players from Europe in a three-day match every two years. Since golf is a more individual-based sport, it’s tough to know exactly how Silver would bring the format over to the NBA.

The NBA is out to adjust the format of the All-Star Game after ratings dropped 13 percent last season. The league tried out a new format last season, in which four teams took part in a mini tournament. It wasn’t well-received by fans.

NBA heave rule change, explained

The NBA also plans to introduce a new stat change that would encourage teams to heave up long-distance shots at the end of each quarter. The “heave rule,” as it’s being unofficially called, would count those last-second shots as team shots and not be tied to the individual player who launched the ball from long distance.

In the past, a missed desperation heave would be attributed to the player who took the shot. Since a large majority of those shots don’t go in the basket, players would see their stats suffer as a result of an end-of-quarter heave.

Reports of that change emerged hours before Silver spoke with the media following the Board of Governors meeting.

This story will be updated.

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