NBA Expands Probe Into Clippers’ Dealings With Kawhi Leonard
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The NBA is examining whether the Los Angeles Clippers paid expenses for Kawhi Leonard without being reimbursed and whether the forward held an undisclosed endorsement agreement, according to sources cited by The Athletic.
Wachtell Lipton, the law firm directing the league’s investigation, is focusing on Leonard’s relationship with Aspiration, a Clippers sponsor implicated in a suspected no-show endorsement arrangement. Investigators are also looking into a separate, previously unreported endorsement that may have escaped notice.
The Clippers have rejected allegations of salary-cap circumvention. The team and owner Steve Ballmer maintain they were defrauded by Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg, who is serving a 14-year federal sentence.
League Executives Expect Possible Sanctions
Although no timetable has been announced, several front-office executives around the NBA increasingly believe the Clippers could face disciplinary action once the inquiry concludes, The Athletic reports.
Inside the Aspiration Agreement
Former Aspiration staffers told The Athletic that Leonard’s lucrative deal was not initially intended as a sham. Internal discussions included using Leonard’s likeness in promotional material, such as a campaign inspired by Groot, the tree-based character from Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Designers produced mock-ups, but the project was later shelved.
“Stop thinking about Kawhi,” one employee recalled being told. “This feels like a dead end.” Another ex-employee added that they never learned why the concept was abandoned.
Trade to Toronto on Hold
The outcome of the investigation carries significant implications for the Clippers, Leonard, and the Toronto Raptors. Toronto has a pending trade agreement for the two-time Finals MVP, but the deal will not be finalized until the league’s probe is completed to ensure the Raptors do not inherit any penalties.
Source: Hoops Rumors
