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Kawhi Leonard's uncle reportedly asked Toronto to get the player 'no-show' endorsements in 2019

On Wednesday in New York, the NBA's Board of Governors — the 30 NBA owners — are meeting. While discussion of league rules and other details will be on the agenda, the big topic will be the report that the Los Angeles Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer circumvented the salary cap by Kawhi Leonard having a "no-show" endorsement deal with a team sponsor, a "green bank" company called Aspiration that has since gone bankrupt with the CEO pleading guilty to defrauding investors. The NBA is now investigating the charges, and when Adam Silver meets with the media on Wednesday, that will be the main topic of conversation.

A new report from Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star says that when Leonard was a free agent in 2019, his uncle and manager Dennis Robertson — commonly referred to in league circles as Uncle Dennis — asked the Raptors for no-show endorsement deals at that time. As has been previously documented (and investigated by the league at the time), Uncle Dennis asked for a lot of things during that free agency.

Robertson asked for ownership stakes in outside companies: not just the (NHL's Toronto) Leafs, which he seemed to believe was separate, but with other companies with whom [Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment] had a relationship. And two, the Raptors were told they needed to match at least $10 million per year in extra sponsorship income. Teams are allowed to introduce players to team sponsors; teams cannot negotiate deals, and MLSE was aware of that fact.

But it didn't end there. As one source put it, when told about all the corporate sponsors in Toronto who would be happy to have Leonard as a pitchman, his camp said, "We don't want to do anything." Raptors representatives said any sponsor would want to shoot ads or arrange appearances; Robertson reiterated Leonard didn't want to do anything for the money.

That does sound awfully familiar, and for a lot of fans and people around the league it just adds to the wave of circumstantial evidence in this case. That said, a couple of things should be noted here:

• While the no-show endorsement part with Toronto is new, Uncle Dennis asking in 2019 for stakes in the franchise, exclusive use of planes, a home, and much more is well known and something the NBA knew about. Uncle Dennis's requests are the stuff of legend around the league. The NBA investigated this when the Clippers signed Leonard as a free agent and found no wrongdoing or illegal benefits.

• Even before Leonard was traded to Toronto in 2019, it was known around the league that he wanted to get back closer to where he grew up in Los Angeles. It was thought at the time that he would end up with the Lakers or Clippers as a free agent, and Leonard reportedly was not enamored with the idea of playing next to LeBron James, which gave the Clippers an edge. They pursued him hard, with Clippers' team executive Lawrence Frank conspicuously attending many Raptors games, both home and away, that season. Despite all the rumors and actions by Uncle Dennis at the time, Leonard's signing with the Clippers was not some out-of-the-blue surprise, and he signed a four-year max contract with the move.

The NBA's investigation could head in numerous different directions, depending on whether they find any genuine connection between Ballmer or another Clipper employee and this no-show endorsement deal. Ballmer and the Clippers have vehemently denied any knowledge of impropriety or connection to the endorsement deal. In the initial investigation reported by Pablo Torre on the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast, he said he had seven different employees with Aspiration tell him this was about salary cap circumvention. This is where the NBA being a league run by lawyers — with an outside law firm running the investigation — will bog down in legal terminology. Employees at Aspiration being told by other people with the company that this was for salary cap circumvention does not prove the Clippers knew or participated in it (was it just an office rumor started by someone without direct knowledge?). It's not that these people are lying or doing anything wrong, but it's not the kind of direct evidence lawyers will demand. Also, another report surfaced that Aspiration gave other celebrities huge endorsement deals with little or no work required, however, as part of those contracts the endorsers then hired Aspiration back using part, but not all, of that endorsement money (which helped inflate the books for Aspiration, who could point to large contracts on their books). It's unclear if Leonard was involved in such a deal and, if so, whether the Clippers were aware of it.

When Mark Cuban appeared on Pablo Torre Finds Out to defend Ballmer, he suggested it was possible this was simply Uncle Dennis and a fraudulent company working together, and that the Clippers were genuinely unaware.

We simply have more questions than answers at this point. About all of it. The NBA's investigation will try to answer them, but it's possible that the evidence we currently have is basically all we will have. While that looks bad in the court of public opinion, whether it would be enough for other owners to bring the hammer down on one of their own is up for debate.

You can be sure Adam Silver will be asked about it on Wednesday in New York.

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Sanchez's evolution has been astounding to watch for Thomson

Sanchez's evolution has been astounding to watch for Thomson  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The amazement in which Phillies manager Rob Thomson watches pitcher Cristopher Sanchez seems to surprise even him.

And why not? All Sanchez has done this season, before facing the New York Mets on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park, is thrust himself firmly into the Cy Young conversation with his 12-5 record, 2.60 ERA, 20 quality starts and a 1.12 WHIP. He also hasn’t given up a home run in 48 and 1/3 innings and has given up more than three earned runs in just three of his 28 starts.

“I’m always astounded by him,” Thomson said. “I always think about the first time I saw him and it was trouble for him to throw a strike, to be honest. But with the great fastball and the great velocity and how he’s kind of evolved into this pitcher that has power, and his great changeup and the great poise and how tough he is. I’ve been around a long time, as we know, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the evolution of a pitcher like I have with Sanchez.”

That is extremely high praise coming from a man that spent close to 20 years in the New York Yankees organization before becoming a bench coach with the Phillies in 2018. Especially when you take into consideration how erratic Sanchez was when Thomson first saw him.

“I think he believed it. Me, I wasn’t quite sure,” Thomson said of the success level Sanchez has reached. “But that was one time seeing. You’ve got to see people over and over. I’m just really astounded where he’s come.”

Outfield a good problem 

The shuffling of the outfield has been talked and written about almost daily since the Phillies acquired Harrison Bader back on July 31. And while it’s been ever-changing, it’s always been a semi-hot topic.

Thomson had a wish when it all came about, and that was that all five of his platooning outfielders play well enough that no matter who he pencils in, the results are good. He’s pretty much gotten that of late from Bader, Brandon Marsh, Max Kepler, Nick Castellanos and Weston Wilson.

“He’s been really good,” Thomson said of Castellanos, who knocked in two first-inning runs on Tuesday. “He really has. He’s stayed within the zone for the most part. Big double last night to get a couple runs on the board early. I think he’s been good.”

Castellanos was not in the starting lineup on Wednesday in favor of Marsh, Bader and Kepler. Days off for the player who has played almost all of them for close to a decade seems to be working for Castellanos right now.

“I think it has to do more with having some days off,” Thomson said. “It makes their bodies feel a little bit better, a little fresher. I don’t think he’s working on anything in particular. I know he’s always trying to stay within the strike zone and use the entire field. I think that’s just his game plan. I think having days off, for all these guys at times, is good for them.

“It’s been great, it really has. I’m really happy with where we’re at right now. We’ve just got to keep moving forward. Everybody is contributing. It seems like a different guy every day that steps up. It’s been great.”

Bader seems to be firmly planted as the (nearly) everyday center fielder right now. Wednesday, he was at the leadoff spot for the second game in a row.

“He had a big night last night, so we’ll run it back through again,” Thomson said. “He works hard, and he’s improved his offensive game. But I think he’s fit in well in this clubhouse because he has a really good personality and brings a lot of energy, and I think that fits perfect with the group that we’ve got.”

Numbers game 

There were a lot of numbers to comprehend on Tuesday when you consider Kyle Schwarber became just the second Phillies player to hit 50 home runs in a season (Ryan Howard the other), Bryson Stott got his 500th career hit and Ranger Suarez struck out a career-high 12. So, what are some of Thomson’s favorite numbers to observe with this team?

“That’s a good question, I’d have to think about that,” he said. “There are so many numbers. The 50 home runs are pretty cool. The 500 hits for Stott are pretty cool. I think the fact that we’ve improved our discipline at the plate is really good. There’s a lot of stuff. I stay pretty traditional, to tell you the truth. For me, anyway, that’s the best approach.”

Thomson had the team roaring in the clubhouse after Tuesday’s game when the team toasted Schwarber on his huge accomplishment. 

“You’re a gift,” Thomson said to Schwarber, drawing huge laughs from his players. Turns out, that’s a Bader quip.

“It’s great. It’s been a long time not being able to do that,” said Thomson of his speech. “When I have an opportunity to celebrate somebody’s successes it feels really great for me. ‘What a gift’ is his saying, so that’s why I said it.”

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Canadiens To Honour Former Blueliner Andrei Markov

Andrei Markov skated in 990 NHL games, all of them wearing the Montreal Canadiens’ colours, but his association with the team ended abruptly when he couldn’t reach a new agreement with then GM  Marc Bergevin. After the 2016-2017 season, both Markov and fellow Russian Alex Radulov left the team after the famous "If you want loyalty, get a dog" quote from the GM. While Markov headed back home to play in the KHL, Radulov signed a five-year contract with the Dallas Stars.

Nearly 10 years later, and with Bergevin being long gone, the organisation has announced that on Wednesday, December 3, the game against the Winnipeg Jets will serve as the former defenseman’s homecoming.

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Expect a celebration similar to the ones Saku Koivu had in 2014 and P.K. Subban received in 2023. While his 16 seasons in Montreal would make him worthy of the Ring of Honour in my opinion, he won’t be added there since that honour is reserved for former Canadiens’ players who have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Does it make sense for Pierre Turgeon to be on the Bell Centre’s wall while Markov isn’t? The answer seems obvious to me, but there we are.

It will be interesting to see how Markov reacts to being under the spotlight since it’s not something he’s ever really relished. Given the ovation he received as a spectator at a game last season, he should expect a very warm welcome.

In his 990 career games, the General gathered 572 points, including 119 goals and 453 assists. Despite being plagued by a serious knee injuries, the rearguard never lost a step, and while his mobility might have gone down somewhat, he always found a way to make up for it with his hockey IQ. His 572 points put him in third place for points by a defenseman in franchise history (Guy Lapointe has the same number of points, but played fewer games, so he gets second place behind Larry Robinson, who recorded 883 in 1202 games), and that alone is more than worthy of celebration.

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From tots to taters, Harrison Bader has thrived in the pressure cooker of Philadelphia pennant race

PHILADELPHIA — From tots to taters, Harrison Bader has thrived in the pressure cooker of a Philadelphia pennant race.

With enthusiasm and elite defense, Bader became an instant fan favorite when the Phillies acquired the Gold Glove outfielder from Minnesota at the July 31 trade deadline.

The “Bader Tots” T-shirts zipped off team merchandise store shelves faster than Bader can rip off hits this season against the rival New York Mets.

With NL batting leader Trea Turner sidelined with a hamstring injury, Bader was bumped up to the leadoff spot against the Mets and rewarded the Phillies with a solo homer — a tater, in home run slang — and his second straight three-hit game in a 9-3 win.

As for the tots?

Well, Bader’s homer into the left-field seats landed not far from the concession stand on the outfield concourse that unveiled Bader Tots on the menu before he could even dig in at the plate.

At the baseball home of cheesesteaks and crab fries, the tots come like the heart of the Phillies’ order: loaded. They’re topped with American cheese sauce, crumbled bacon, Cheddar Jack cheese, sour cream, and scallions.

Only embattled reliever Jordan Romano this season is responsible for so much agita in Philly.

A game after Bryce Harper went 0 for 4 in his leadoff stint, manager Rob Thomson turned to Bader against left-hander Sean Manaea. Bader won’t be the regular leadoff hitter, especially against right-handers, but the move paid off. Bader, who had three hits against the Mets a night earlier and entered 12 for 21 against his former team this season, followed Otto Kemp’s solo homer in the second with his 16th homer of the year for a 4-0 lead.

“I just try to be like Trea and shoot the ball all over the place, run as fast as I can, not get thrown out between first and second, not get thrown out by catchers,” Bader said. “Just try to play my game.”

His game has been about as good as it gets since he joined the NL East leaders.

Bader slashed .320/.389/500 in his first 32 games with the Phillies after he was acquired for two minor leaguers.

There is just one drawback to batting first.

“I’ve got to sprint down a little faster after the top of the first,” he said with a laugh.

Bader found himself in the thick of an apparent dispute over a home run ball he hit last week in Miami against the Marlins.

Bader hit a solo homer into the left-field stands in the fourth inning at loanDepot Park. Several fans scrambled for the ball before a man came up with it and walked over and gave it to a boy and hugged him. Both were wearing Phillies gear, and it was the boy’s birthday.

Moments later, a woman, also wearing Philadelphia apparel, approached and appeared to shout at the man, who then grabbed the ball from the boy’s glove and gave it to her.

The boy ended up going home with a signed bat from Bader, who met with him outside the Phillies’ clubhouse after the game.

Bader’s homer against the Mets didn’t seem to ignite any fireworks in the stands — just crooked numbers on the scoreboard.

“He’s really improved over the years, and he’s got all kinds of power, and it comes out every once in a while,” Thomson said. “I think we all know how good of a defender he is, how good a thrower he is, but I think that the offensive side is impressive.”

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Steve Borthwick urged by club coaches to rest England’s Lions during autumn internationals

  • Players could be rested for matches on welfare grounds

  • Lions squad mandated 10 weeks off after summer tour

Steve Borthwick has been urged to consider resting British & Irish Lions players during England’s autumn internationals campaign on welfare grounds by Prem Rugby head coaches.

Players who appeared on the Lions tour in Australia over the summer were mandated 10 weeks off, ensuring they will miss the first two rounds of the new season and be available for three before England begin their November campaign against the Wallabies.

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Sandin-Pellikka Ranked 21st in Controversial NHL Network Top 25 Prospects List

Red Wings prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka mentioned in controversial prospect rankings list made by NHL Network. 

On Wednesday, NHL Network released their top 25 prospects in the league with some notable omissions that caught the eyes of many. The Detroit Red Wings only had one name on the list with defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka at 21st overall. 

The list was curated by the Network's Research Department, which seems a bit confusing as most of the players on the list are pulled from this last year's draft mixed in with the same few names that every NHL prospect expert or insider has mentioned over the past few years. There's more players in the AHL and farm systems that are starting to show promise of being an impact player at the NHL level and are neglected for recency bias.

Detroit has several players in their prospect pipeline that were drafted higher, have better numbers at the junior level and have already shown more promise in their early development than some of the mentioned players. An example of this is Jacob Fowler over Red Wings prospect Trey Augustine. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

3 Red Wings Prospects That Could Make NHL Debut This Season3 Red Wings Prospects That Could Make NHL Debut This SeasonExploring three Detroit Red Wings prospects that could make the jump to the NHL in the 2025-26 season.

The numbers of the Boston College netminder in Fowler are certainly impressive with a 57-13-3 record and a 1.90 goals against average. However, Augustine has routinely been Team USA's choice for a starting netminder in world tournaments as he's been on four different national teams compared to Fowler's one appearance in which he was outplayed by Augustine and started less games. Augustine was also taken ahead of Fowler in the same draft class, going 41st overall to the Red Wings while Fowler wasn't picked until the third round at 69th overall by the Montreal Canadiens. 

Another example could be Nate Danielson, who was the ninth overall pick in the 2023 Draft and is already pushing for a main roster spot this upcoming season. He's significantly further into his development and has shown signs of being an impact player with his seamless transition to pro hockey this past season. 

Putting up nearly 40 points as a rookie isn't easy and yet he remains off the list while Nashville's Brady Martin is at the 25 spot. It's hard to predict Martin's future as a young 18-year-old that has only played two seasons of junior hockey, Meanwhile, at 18 years old, Danielson put up 78 points compared to Martin's 72 last season. 

There are still plenty of question marks surrounding younger players especially when it comes to potential regression or not living up to expectations, even for top-five picks. Martin, for example, was drafted early largely due to his playing style, which drew comparisons to Florida’s Sam Bennett. With Danielson, there’s little left to question as he’s proven himself to be a high-end prospect, ready to compete for an NHL spot this season, and based on how smoothly he transitioned to the AHL, he could make an immediate impact. 

There are other names besides Danielson and Augustine that have been held off the list with the majority of the hockey community on X questioning it's legitimacy. Some are calling it just a graphic to help entertain hockey fans as the regular season nears with others calling the rankings "rage bait" meaning the post was just to incite a reaction out of viewers. The controversial rankings have certainly been effective in generating off-season conversation.

Red Wings’ Alleged Interest in Former Norris Trophy Winner Refuses to Go AwayRed Wings’ Alleged Interest in Former Norris Trophy Winner Refuses to Go AwayWhile the Detroit Red Wings were among the more active teams in free agency this summer, none of their acquisitions can realistically be considered a major addition. 

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2 Former Rangers Land PTOs With Same Team

Tyler Motte (© Danny Wild-Imagn Images)

Two former New York Rangers players have landed professional tryouts (PTOs) with the same team.

According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, Tyler Motte and Ben Harpur have signed PTOs with the Florida Panthers. 

Motte spent this past season with the Detroit Red Wings, where he posted four goals, nine points, 72 hits, and a minus-11 rating in 55 games. Now, he will be looking to impress during his PTO with the Panthers to help his chances of landing a contract for the season.

Motte had two brief stints with the Rangers as a trade deadline rental, where he posted five goals, 10 points, 57 hits, and a plus-1 rating in 33 games. 

Harpur, on the other hand, spent each of the last two seasons exclusively with the Rangers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. In 29 games with the AHL club in 2024-25, he posted one goal, five points, and 48 penalty minutes. 

Harpur last played at the NHL level with the Rangers during the 2022-23 season, where he recorded one goal, six points, 57 blocks, 63 hits, and an even plus/minus rating. 

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Ex-Maple Leaf Alex Steeves Among AHL Centers To Make The NHL Next Season

The key to being a successful team in the big leagues is depth in all positions. One of the most crucial and effective positions is the center position. They facilitate the offense, they play on both sides of the ice, and they’re in the dot for faceoffs.

Last season, the AHL saw a handful of centers stand out, and they likely caught the attention of their NHL clubs. Here are a few AHL centers with a chance to make it to the NHL next season. 

Luca Del Bel Belluz, Cleveland Monsters

Luca Del Bel Belluz has played parts of two seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Cleveland Monsters. In the AHL last season, he saw a big jump in offensive production. 

In his first year in Cleveland, he scored nine goals and 31 points in 58 games, finishing sixth on the team in scoring. Last year, the 21-year-old registered 27 goals and 53 points in 61 appearances, good enough for third-best on the Monsters’ roster.

Despite playing 16 NHL games across those two years, Del Bel Belluz has played his way into the conversation of playing even more games with the Blue Jackets next year.

Luca Del Bel Belluz (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

Alex Steeves, Providence Bruins

Alex Steeves has been a top player in the AHL for several seasons now. Since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization in 2021, he has played four seasons with the Toronto Marlies. 

In each of those seasons, Steeves has been a top-three scorer on his team. Last year was his best, as he scored 36 goals and 62 points in 58 games, finishing second in the AHL in goals and eighth in points. In addition, Steeves became the Marlies’ all-time leader in goals (105) and points (216).

With those accolades and consistency, Steeves should be destined to get a full NHL season with the Boston Bruins, who signed him in free agency to a one-year deal. 

Bradly Nadeau and Ryan Suzuki, Chicago Wolves

Bradley Nadeau and Ryan Suzuki are both in a similar position when it comes to where they stand for the Chicago Wolves and their chances with the Carolina Hurricanes. 

These centers, who are also capable of playing the wing, finished one point away from each other last season in the AHL. Nadeau scored 32 goals and 58 points in what was his rookie season, while Suzuki recorded 12 tallies and 59 points, leading the Wolves in scoring.

One distinguishable attribute between these two players is that Nadeau, 20, is far younger than Suzuki, 24. If either of these players gets an honest look in the NHL, it could all depend on how management sees the situation. One could be called up because they have more experience, or the other may get that opportunity because they have shown more promise at a younger age.

Check out our AHL to KHL signing tracker and AHL Free Agency signing tracker.

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England v South Africa: first men’s T20 international – as it happened

South Africa won by 14 runs (DLS) on a wet and wild evening at Sophia Gardens

“Shame (but very predictable) about the current weather,” says Alfie Sparrow, although his email is actually about something else. “I’ve just moved into London, living in Tooting with some old uni mates. I was wondering if any readers have local cricket club recommendations? Played alongside Bas de Leede growing up in the Netherlands, winning 3 national titles in our age group. Wish I could say I was still near his quality but that’s far from the case – just after a friendly club for next summer.” Hope you find one.

“My girlfriend has very tentatively started to get into cricket,” reports Charles Aspden. “And we discussed potential telly programmes which would further entice her in. In true Alan Partridge fashion, she wants to see ‘Tea with Amol Rajan,’ a show somewhere between Bake Off and Grandstand. Amol travels the country to try the best and worst teas around the village, county and international grounds, interviewing the local eccentrics and giving tea ladies up and down the country some of the plaudits they deserve.”

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NCAA bans 3 college basketball players for betting on their own games at Fresno St, San Jose St

The NCAA banned three Division I college basketball players by permanently revoking their eligibility on Wednesday, saying they had bet on their own games at Fresno State and San Jose State and were able to share thousands of dollars in payouts. The NCAA said the three bet on one another’s games and/or provided information that enabled others to do so during the 2024-25 regular season; two of them manipulated their performances to ensure certain bets were won.