Kawhi Leonard’s Alleged Secret Deal With Steve Ballmer Puts Clippers at Risk of $6M Fine & Major NBA Punishment

The Los Angeles Clippers might have defied Adam Silver’s strict regulations. And in the heart of it stands their superstar, the 2x NBA champ, Kawhi Leonard. Back in 2019, right after winning the season with the Toronto Raptors, the Klaw jumped sides to shake hands with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. As surprising as that move was, many people suspected foul play in the deal.

Thus, the controversies of Ballmer & Co. secretly negotiating to bypass the salary cap for Kawhi Leonard have returned. Investigative journalist Pablo Torre claims he found the loophole. He alleges paying the star forward $28 million for a fake job with a fraudulent company.

On a recent episode of his Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast, he said he found a paper trail tying Leonard to an “allegedly fraudulent” tree-planting firm, Aspiration, backed by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. A $28 million payment to KL2 Aspire LLC, owned by Leonard, is the link. The firm still owes $7 million after filing for bankruptcy, Torre said.

The journalist further reported that Kawhi Leonard never marketed Aspiration despite the major investment, while other celebrities promoted the brand. He cited employee testimony, with one anonymous worker stating, “I didn’t so much as discover it as I was told about it. My reaction was, ‘What the f—?’”

He recalled being told, “These are the major players and major contracts you really need to be aware of… Oh, and by the way, we also have a marketing deal with Kawhi Leonard. A $28 million organic marketing sponsorship… If I had any questions about it, essentially don’t, because it was to circumvent the salary cap.” The employee added they never saw Leonard promote the company and agreed it was a “no-show job.”

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers have responded to Pablo Torre’s claims. And well, they deny any wrongdoing. “Neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to Aspiration,” the organization wrote. “Any contrary assertion is provably false.”

Reports say that, back in 2019, the NBA grew wary of the arrangement and launched its own inquiry. Officials closely examined whether the Clippers had secured Leonard by “sweetening their offer.” However, the investigation revealed no such proof. But now, when the controversy is back in the spotlight, will the NBA look into it and take action?

Kawhi Leonard might’ve risked a $6 million fine and more trouble for the LA Clippers

When the Raptors traded Leonard to the Clippers in 2019, the NBA showed no awareness of teams attempting to bypass the salary cap. Yet unverified reports alleged that Kawhi Leonard’s uncle and advisor, Dennis Robertson, sought benefits such as guaranteed sponsorship money in exchange for his nephew’s commitment. Should any team have complied, it now faces severe punishment.

Now, Article XIII of the CBA serves as the league’s strict anti-circumvention rule. It bars teams from compensating players outside their contracts, including hidden side deals or alternate roles. It also forbids sponsor payments tied to basketball services when they exceed fair market value. Furthermore, the rule bans inducements, promises, investments, or business opportunities offered to players, agents, or family members, ensuring no path exists to secretly bypass the salary cap.

The same Article XIII allows the NBA to identify violations through direct and circumstantial evidence, and the league may request tax records. Consequently, penalties include fines up to $6 million, loss of draft picks, executive suspensions, and voiding unauthorized contracts. Additionally, the NBPA can suspend agents for at least one year. The rule targets post-career promises, and appeals face a deferential, arbitrary, and capricious standard.

Well, there’s no secret that the NBA loves its drama, but this saga feels like a blockbuster with a twist no one saw coming. Sure thing, Kawhi Leonard is having a happening summer break. But this new plot twist? No one saw it coming! From secret paper trails and shady sponsorships to a superstar tied to a company in ruins, the stakes are glaring. The Clippers deny, the league once cleared, yet Article XIII looms like a sword. Fines, suspensions, voided deals—all hang in the balance. Now the question is simple: does Adam Silver call a cut, or does the show go on?