NBA Having 'Conversations' With Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer As Investigation Nears End

From the 'Now where have I heard that before' department, we bring you a report that the NBA's investigation into the alleged LA Clippers/Kawhi Leonard cap circumvention scandal could finally... (finally?)... be nearing an end. 

In fact, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (h/t Brett Siegel, ClutchPoints) , the league is talking with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer to potentially "negotiate a settlement" of whatever type of punishment, if any, there will be.

Shelburne relayed the current process in an appearance on ESPN LA 710.

I know that the investigators have presented initial findings, but they're still making calls and putting things together. But they are having conversations with Ballmer and his lawyers already. They're talking about it. I don't know if you would call it a settlement or some kind of negotiation, but that's already happening.

Doubling down on her recent NBA report, there is no smoking gun for serious "cap circumvention" charges. 

“The conversations have been more about this failure to supervise and the nature of the introductions that were made between the Clippers and Kawhi's people rather than direct evidence of salary cap circumvention done by Steve Ballmer. If you're doing the easy parlance, that would be the murder charge. That's a really serious charge that's very hard to prove.”

She adds that the case could still be dragged out if Ballmer and the Clippers decide to challenge any NBA punishment with an appeal to go to arbitration.

In that case, it's a possibility that the Kawhi trade with the Toronto Raptors could have to be amended if it is to go through (or continue to be on hold) while the aribtitration takes place.

But either way, it does sound like we're getting closer to some sort of resolution of the whole affair.