Steve Ballmer under fire over how he handled LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard controversy

Pablo Torre was the journalist who reported the story about Ballmer and Leonard being linked to an illegal deal with Aspiration.

But the Clippers’ owner chose to speak with another media professional and company to deny these claims, which sparked some criticism from NBA analyst Chris Mannix.

“It was incredibly weak by Ballmer to do this interview with ESPN. He has had days, maybe even weeks, to defend himself to Pablo Torre, and chose not to, outside of issuing a couple of paragraph statements.

“Now that the story is out there and everyone is talking about it, Steve chooses to go on another outlet to respond,” Mannix said on SI’s Open Floor.

“So instead of talking to the person who has spent seven months investigating this, he goes to another reporter who has really only had 24 to 36 hours to fully digest it.”

The NBA is still looking into the situation, but Mannix’s comments do not exactly help clear up Ballmer’s role in all of this.

Chris Mannix makes it clear he was not criticising Ramona Shelburne

ESPN has long been the NBA’s primary broadcast partner, a relationship that stretches back decades. That context is important to understanding why Mannix took issue with Ballmer’s choice of interview platform.

He was also quick to clarify that his criticism had nothing to do with Shelburne herself.

“Ramona is an excellent reporter, and anyone in the media, myself included, who was offered that interview would take it; it’s a big interview.

“What I don’t like is Ballmer going to a league partner and sitting down with someone who can’t possibly have a full grasp on what is a very complicated story.”