The LA Clippers have been under investigation since September over allegations of salary cap circumvention through green banking Aspiration. That investigation took the next step in its process recently with a few important interviews.
According to ESPN's Baxter Holmes, the law firm handling the investigation, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, interviewed Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, his uncle Dennis Robertson, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, and a few other team executives.
The investigation continues after the bombshell was dropped prior to the start of the 2025-26 regular season by journalist Pablo Torre.
At his annual NBA Finals media availability, this time in San Antonio before Game 1 of Spurs-Knicks, Silver made it clear that while the investigation is still ongoing and does not have the ability so share any details, his hope is that it comes to a conclusion relatively soon.
“The investigation is being conducted by a law firm independent of the NBA,” Silver said. “I mean, yes, ultimately we are paying their bills, but they are doing the work independent of the league office. My instruction to them is we can’t be investigating forever and at some point we have to wrap it up, but at the same time, I think the most important thing is we get it right.
“I certainly hear and read things all the time about the perception of what really happened or didn’t happen here, and I think my only reaction is I wouldn’t be doing my job if ultimately I issued a determination based on perception. My job is to follow the facts. What essentially happens here is that the 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 two independent processes there, and that’s what’s happening right now.”
The Clippers have maintained their innocences throughout this process, saying they've committed no wrongdoing and have been open to and cooperative in the investigation.
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ESPN's Baxtor Holmes reports, however, that some members of the Clippers have. “grown frustrated trying to prove innocence for a violation they say they didn't commit.”
“Privately, some Clippers officials have grown frustrated trying to prove innocence for a violation they say they didn't commit, according to several sources with knowledge of their thinking. Despite their certainty that they did nothing wrong, team officials seem less sure about the outcome of the high-profile investigation and whether the league's richest owner will face punishment, the sources said.”
Joseph Sanberg, the co-founder of Aspiration, was officially sentenced to 14 years in a federal prison on Monday after he was charged with defrauding investors out of $248 million. According to ESPN, judge Stephen V. Wilson who issued the sentence said Sanberg's actions: “he hurt a lot of people,” “became greedy, brazen, callous,” and, “entangled in a web of lies,” that continued for years.”
Even if the investigation is nearing it's conclusion, it wouldn't be the best look to have the results made public by Adam Silver and the NBA during the NBA Finals. The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks have made this one of the most watched NBA Finals ever, so waiting until the end of the Finals makes the most sense.
“I don’t have a specific timeline on when they will be completed,” Silver said on Wednesday, before Game 1. “I think it’s clear they are 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 going on and on, but I think we are close to the point now where I think we need to wrap this up, because you also need finality. The team has to understand what situation they are going to be operating under, and so do the other 29 teams. So that’s where things currently stand.”
The LA Clippers have the fifth pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and will be very active as they try to determine which player is the best for their franchise.
The LA Clippers have been under investigation since September over allegations of salary cap circumvention through green banking Aspiration. That investigation took the next step in its process recently with a few important interviews.