Claims have emerged that the Los Angeles Clippers, along with team owner Steve Ballmer, allegedly provided star player Kawhi Leonard with $28 million for what’s being called a “do-nothing job,” a scheme reportedly devised to bypass NBA salary restrictions, according to investigative journalist Pablo Torre.
A representative from the NBA communicated to Yahoo Sports on Wednesday that the league is cognizant of Torre’s revelations and has “initiated a probe” into the matter.
Torre unveiled the purported controversy on his broadcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” on Wednesday. The show — which incorporated numerous direct excerpts from court documents — presented the case that Leonard received $28 million through a corporation owned by Ballmer for essentially not fulfilling any required duties. Ballmer is purportedly implicated in utilizing this arrangement to compensate Leonard beyond the stipulations of his contract, an action that, if proven, would contravene NBA regulations.
The crux of the issue lies with Aspiration, a now-defunct company offering tree-planting services, financed by Ballmer. Aspiration entered into a $28 million formal agreement with KL2 Aspire, LLC, an entity under Leonard’s ownership.
Kawhi Leonard reportedly made $28 million for doing nothing as part of an agreement with Aspiration, a company funded by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)
(VCG via Getty Images)
Torre’s efforts to uncover proof of Leonard’s marketing or promotional activities for the company were unsuccessful. One clause within the contractual documents between Aspiration and KL2 Aspire LLC stipulated that Leonard retained the prerogative to “decline to proceed with any action desired by the Company,” essentially granting him the capacity to be compensated without any obligation. Another condition specified that Leonard’s compensation was contingent upon his continued affiliation with the Clippers.
Correspondence from Aspiration directed to KL2 Aspire LLC was routed to Dennis Robertson, Leonard’s advisor who was previously investigated by the NBA in 2019 for allegedly soliciting unauthorized benefits. The NBA’s prior inquiry into Robertson — also recognized as Uncle Dennis — yielded no substantiation that the Clippers extended illicit incentives to Leonard during their pursuit of him in free agency.
Torre engaged with several former Aspiration employees regarding the matter, with one agreeing to an interview under the condition of voice modulation. This employee alleged that they were informed that the agreement between Aspiration and Leonard was crafted to “skirt the salary cap.”
The entirety of the purported scandal was synthesized by Torre’s show in a brief video presentation.
The Clippers issued a comprehensive response to the allegations on Wednesday evening, dismissing as “absurd” the “notion that Steve invested in Aspiration in order to funnel money to Kawhi Leonard.” They also indicated they “welcome” the NBA’s impending inquiry.
During the 2019 investigation concerning Robertson, sources conveyed to Sam Amick of The Athletic that, while no proof of unlawful benefits was discovered, NBA commissioner Adam Silver deems such conduct “a cardinal sin of the NBA” and affirmed that the league would reactivate its investigation should further evidence surface.
Leonard initially joined the Clippers in 2019 under a three-year, $104 million contract. He renewed his commitment to the team with a four-year, $176 million extension in 2021, followed by a three-year, $149 million extension in 2024.
