The Los Angeles Clippers are making headlines this morning—not for a new signing, but for a serious accusation involving superstar Kawhi Leonard and alleged salary cap circumvention.
What’s Alleged?
Investigative journalist Pablo Torre reports that the Clippers owner, Steve Ballmer, funneled money to Kawhi Leonard through a now-bankrupt green fintech company called Aspiration. According to documents obtained by Torre, Leonard’s LLC (named KL2 Aspire LLC) was set to receive $28 million over four years—payments that depended on him staying with the Clippers, despite there being no evidence he ever promoted Aspiration. A former Aspiration finance employee claimed the deal “was to circumvent the salary cap” CBSSports.comLiberty BallersESPN.com.
Why It Matters:
Under NBA rules, teams cannot indirectly pay players outside the salary cap via third parties—even if labeled as endorsements. If proven, this kind of deal is considered a major violation, potentially leading to penalties like fines, loss of draft picks, or voided contracts CBSSports.comESPN.comMarketWatch.
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What’s Going On Now:
- The NBA has officially launched an investigation into these allegations ReutersMarketWatchWAPT.
- The Clippers and Ballmer have denied any wrongdoing, calling the allegations “provably false” and “absurd,” and say they had no knowledge of improper activity within Aspiration The Times of IndiaNew York PostESPN.com.
- A comparison has even been drawn between this case and the infamous Joe Smith scandal involving the Timberwolves, which cost them multiple draft picks and a fine — highlighting how severe the repercussions could be Liberty BallersCanis Hoopus.
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Breaking It Down for Fans — In Plain English
1. What is the salary cap?
It’s a limit on how much teams can pay players to keep the league competitive and fair.
2. What’s a “no-show job”?
Imagine paying someone millions to do a job they never actually do. That’s what’s being alleged here: Leonard supposedly gets paid by a company tied to his team’s owner—even though he never did any actual endorsements for that company—just so the team could effectively boost his pay without it counting against the salary cap.
3. Why is that a problem?
It’s like sneaking money to a player behind the league’s back. That goes against the spirit—and rules—of keeping things fair for all teams.
4. What’s the Clippers’ defense?
They claim the investment in Aspiration was purely business—nothing to do with Leonard. They insist the endorsement contract was independent, and they weren’t even aware of anything shady happening.
5. What could happen if they’re found guilty?
Possible consequences include heavy fines (up to millions), voided contracts, stripped draft picks, or even suspensions for team officials—just like what happened in the Joe Smith case.
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Summary Table: Key Points
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Accusation Highlights | $28M paid via Aspiration to Leonard’s LLC without any active promotion |
| Clippers’ Position | Deny wrongdoing; claim no knowledge of improper acts by Aspiration |
| NBA Response | Formal investigation is underway |
| Potential Fallout | Fines, lost draft picks, voided contracts, possible sanctions |
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