NBA launches probe into Kawhi Leonard’s $28 million Aspiration endorsement
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The NBA has begun an investigation into Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard’s endorsement agreement with the financial firm Aspiration, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
League officials intend to interview Leonard, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and executives from the now-bankrupt company, Charania reported. Investigators are examining whether the $28 million contract—described in reports as a “no-show” deal—served as an illegal method of funneling additional compensation to the five-time All-NBA forward.
Ballmer has denied any organizational involvement. “These were guys who committed fraud. They conned me,” he told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “I made the introduction. That was it. They did their deal on their own. We weren’t involved.”
The league is expected to search for documentation that could reveal salary-cap circumvention, similar to the paper trail uncovered in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Joe Smith scandal more than 25 years ago. That case cost Minnesota several first-round draft picks and millions of dollars in fines.
Former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban defended Ballmer in comments to journalist Pablo Torre. “If Ballmer did something illicit and under the table to work around the salary cap, then he’s got to be sh*tting bricks,” Cuban said. “I just don’t see that happening. The NBA would have found it easily.”
Should investigators fail to find evidence of wrongdoing, the Clippers would avoid penalties. Discovery of cap violations, however, could lead to significant sanctions.
Source: Hoops Wire
