Silver says the league didn’t “pause” the Kawhi trade — the teams did

Silver says the league didn’t “pause” the Kawhi trade — the teams did

Adam Silver went to the podium in Las Vegas and made the league’s position blunt: the NBA did not pause the Leonard trade; the delay sits with the Raptors and Clippers. He said it again with no soft edges: “I mean, the league did not pause the trade,” and also said the probe should be finished before next season. The Commissioner is clearly done letting the blame drift around the room.

Gobble's Take: When the commissioner starts swatting away the blame this hard, you know everybody involved would love to be anywhere else. Source: Yahoo Sports NBA

NBA investigation into Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers has grown in scope

The Toronto Raptors' re-acquiring of Kawhi Leonard remains on pause due to the NBA's ongoing investigation into allegations the Los Angeles Clippers circumvented the salary cap through a no-show sponsorship deal between Leonard and the since-shuttered carbon credits company Aspiration. The investigation began 10 months ago and most anticipated a resolution before this offseason, but the new league year arrived without any official update. The Raptors and Clippers both released statements last week, and Toronto was informed it would assume the risk of any potential punishment levied against Leonard. The investigation has since reportedly grown in scope to include possible improper expenses the Clippers covered for Leonard and a possible second unreported endorsement deal with another company. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday the investigation "needs to be wrapped up before next season."

Gobble's Take: The investigation started 10 months ago, missed the offseason, and has now expanded — the trade stays on hold until it concludes.

Source: CBS Sports NBA

The Lakers’ second-round injury watch is a full-time job

The Lakers have been juggling Luka Dončić’s hamstring, Austin Reaves’ oblique, and LeBron James being 41. Dončić has been out for a while, Reaves is back after missing roughly a month, and the team already dropped Game 1 against the Thunder. That’s a rough setup against a defending-champion opponent that can make every little injury feel like a whole subplot.

Gobble's Take: If your injury report reads like a survival manual, the series is already making its point. Source: Perplexity Search (evergreen)

The Thunder still look like the team everyone has to solve

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is sitting on 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 55.3% shooting in the guide’s spotlight, and Oklahoma City’s case is built on depth, defense, and the fact that this group has already proven it can dominate games. The big wrinkle: Mark Daigneault has a "blessed" minutes problem with a stacked roster, even after injuries held the starting five to just 11 games together this season. That’s a luxurious problem until it becomes somebody else’s nightmare.

Gobble's Take: The Thunder don’t need the league to be perfect — they just need enough bodies left to make the rest of the West miserable. Source: Perplexity Search (community: Reddit/HN)

Tomorrow: before next season

In Case You Missed It

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