NBA has launched an investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer over reports that Kawhi Leonard received $28 million off the books through an endorsement deal with Aspiration, a company funded by Ballmer, while the Clippers deny any wrongdoing.
NBA has launched an investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer following reports that the team may have circumvented the salary cap through Kawhi Leonard contract.
Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard
Position: SF, SG
Age: 34
Height: 201 cm
Weight: 102 kg
Birth place: Riverside, United States of America
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, league spokesman Mike Bass said, “We are aware of this morning’s media report regarding the LA Clippers and are commencing an investigation.”
On Pablo Torre’s podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out, documents surfaced showing Leonard allegedly received $28 million through an endorsement deal with Aspiration, a tree-planting company funded by Ballmer.
The deal has been described by former employees as a "no-show job," with Leonard reportedly doing no promotional work for the company.
Aspiration eventually filed for bankruptcy, listing the Clippers as its largest unsecured creditor ($30 million), while Leonard’s KL2 Aspire LLC owed $7 million.
Despite a contract clause allowing Leonard to skip certain tasks that didn’t align with his beliefs, he still received the payments.
A former finance employee told Torre the deal was far larger than any other celebrity endorsement the company made. Leonard’s camp declined to comment, while the Clippers denied any wrongdoing.
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