There's only one spin I can think of that's remotely plausible, namely:
"Bob, what do I need to do to make this problem go away."
"Roger, I'm known Tom all his adult life, and I can tell you this -- nothing short of a full exoneration will satisfy him. If you want to keep this out of Federal court, that's his bottom line."
"What if I cut the suspension to one game or something."
"Not good enough. Besides, that will just keep it in the news, especially in the run up to opening night."
"Damn. But you know I still have to fine him for not turning over his phone, don't you?"
"Sure. The money isn't the issue. Just give it to a charity that has something to do with kids."
"Does this mean you'll be wanting your draft picks back too?"
"Well, yes. You won't hear a peep from me about anything that can be spun as a penalty for non-cooperation or some technical rules violation, but you can't leave it at a level that looks like it's about a conspiracy to cheat."
"Damn."
"Hey, we're all in this together."
I don't think that's very likely, but it's the best story I could come up with ...
