Rumors swirl that the league will impose a heavier punishment on the LA superstar.
The NBA is about to drop a hammer on the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard, but the latter is speculated to absorb the biggest blow.
Los Angeles Clippers / Schedule
According to Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, the league's looming punishment would be more centered on the superstar forward than the Clippers organization.
“A lot of rumors of the Clippers thing about to come down. I heard it’s gonna be Kawhi-centric," he said. "It’s gonna be either a contract voided or a suspension.
"The rumors I’ve heard is that it’s gonna be less about the Clippers and more about what’s gonna happen to Kawhi’s contract.”
Out of the alleged salary cap circumvention, Leonard and the Clippers are involved in one of the most significant narratives in the league this season.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer invested $50 million in Aspiration in 2021. In April 2022, nine months after he signed a max extension with LA, Leonard reportedly signed a four-year, $28 million deal with the fintech company.
Eight months later, Clippers minority owner Dennis Wong invested $1.99 million in Aspiration just nine days before Leonard received a scheduled $1.75 million quarterly payment from the company.
Aspiration is now defunct after filing for bankruptcy last year. Former employees claimed Leonard and the company signed a no-show job for the 34-year-old under their deal.
Ballmer and the Clippers consistently denied allegations, noting that they were tricked by Aspirations' business malpractice.
The investigation is still ongoing, and it may finally arrive before the official offseason.
Leonard still has one more year left in his contract. He will be paid $50.3 million next season.
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