Lakers accused of cap circumvention in Kawhi Leonard endorsement deal
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A new report claims the Los Angeles Clippers may have skirted NBA salary-cap rules to secure Kawhi Leonard in free agency during the summer of 2019.
Journalist Pablo Torre reported on September 3, 2025, that Leonard signed a $28 million endorsement contract with Aspire, a tree-planting company that allegedly required no public promotional work from the All-Star forward. According to documents reviewed by Torre, Aspire was funded with $50 million from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.
An unnamed former Aspire employee told Torre the arrangement “was to circumvent the salary cap,” suggesting the endorsement money functioned as additional, off-the-books compensation tied to Leonard’s basketball contract.
The allegations echo previous rumors that Leonard’s uncle and advisor, Dennis Robertson, sought guaranteed off-court income while negotiating with teams in 2019. Lakers governor Jeanie Buss publicly denied meeting those demands at the time, and Leonard ultimately chose the Clippers, who also traded for Paul George to form a star tandem.
If the endorsement deal is deemed improper, both Leonard and the Clippers could face league discipline for violating the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Clippers have issued a statement denying any wrongdoing.
The report surfaces ahead of an already anticipated matchup: the Lakers and Clippers are scheduled to meet during the NBA’s Rivalry Week in January.
Source: Lakers Nation
