Adam Silver on Clippers-Aspiration investigation: No specific timeline, close to point ‘we need to wrap this up’

The NBA commissioner addressed the independent investigation into Aspiration and its dealing with the Los Angeles Clippers and when a potential punishment could be handed out.

Video Transcript

I wanted to ask you about aspiration, and the investigation there, but I wanted to point out a couple things and have you react.

The, the questions are: Is the, is the investigation done?

When might you release whatever decision you’re gonna make?

But in this process, there’s been a Pulitzer awarded for the reporting on it, and then also yesterday, the CEO was sentenced to, like, 14 years in prison.

Do either of those things, from a perception standpoint, affect the decision that you ultimately have to make?

so n- number one, Joe, as you know, the investigation is being conducted by a law firm, independent of the NBA.

I mean, yes, ultimately we’re paying their bills, but they, they are doing the work independent of the league office.

Mm-hmm.

And my instruction t- to them is, you know, we can’t be investigating forever, but at some, and at some point, we have to wrap it up, but at the same time, the most important thing is that we get it right, and I think that relates to the second part of your question in terms of perception.

I certainly hear and read things all the time about the perception of what really h- happened or didn’t happen here, and m- my only reaction is I, I think I wouldn’t be doing my job if ultimately, I issued a determination based on perception.

Like, my, my job is to follow the facts, and what essentially happens here is that the, a factual report together with findings will be made by this independent firm.

That’s presented to me.

It’s then ultimately my role to determine what the appropriate discipline, if any, should be meted out based on their findings.

So sort of, you know, two independent processes there, and that’s what’s happening right now.

So I don’t have a specific timeline on when they will be completed.

I think it’s clear they’re, they’re far along.

I think those reports are, reading all the time from people who are being interviewed by them, and I think they understand that you could keep i- in ve- could keep going on and on, but I think it’s, we’re close to the point now where I think we need to wrap this up because you also need finality.

Their team has to understand, you know, what situation they’re gonna be operating under, and so do the other 29 teams.

So that’s where things currently stand.

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