They say time discovers truth. Well, that phrase turned into a harsh reality for the Los Angeles Clippers two weeks ago. Now, the truth of the matter, which involves a $28 million no-show contract for Kawhi Leonard, is that the NBA has already launched an investigation. So, you don’t really know where and how the events will turn. However, given the gravity of the claims and confessions from ex-Aspiration employees, one can safely say that the Clippers are in trouble.

In 2015, Steve Ballmer faced a $250,000 fine. Why? The then-Dallas Mavericks player. DeAndre Jordan’s free agency case. And the Clippers raised the possibility of a potential third-party endorsement during talks. You wish Ballmer had learned his lessons. Sadly, he seemingly didn’t. When Kawhi Leonard joined the Clippers in 2019, whispers emerged that his uncle and advisor, Dennis Robertson, sought extra benefits, including guaranteed sponsorship money.

Today, Article XIII of the CBA stands guard, forbidding hidden deals, inflated sponsorships, or family inducements. The NBA can demand tax records, impose fines reaching $6 million, strip draft picks, suspend executives, and even void contracts. And according to Danny Green, the Klaw’s ex-teammate, the Clippers deserve their fair share of the punishments in store.

On  Inside The Green Room, the host, Green, sat with insider Harrison Sanford to share his verdict on the pressing matter. “I’ve seen people get punished for less. So they’ve got enough evidence to get punished, and they deserve to have some type of punishment, rightfully so. I know Kawhi well. I was a teammate of his,” he shared.

“Call him family, brother; Uncle Dennis. So I always root for them and want to see them do well and make great things happen for their family. That’s why I was like, shout out to Uncle Dennis, making things shake like that. This should cost the Clippers organization a hefty fine and probably some draft picks, which we don’t even know if they have any. Maybe in 10 years, they will, but this is something they should be punished for,” Danny Green concluded.

The Clippers do not have a single draft pick until 2030. Steve Ballmer is known to have invested at least $50 million in Aspiration, with paper trail produced by Pablo Torre even linking a $1.99 million investment from Clippers part-owner Dennis Wong, known to be a longterm associate and college roommate of Ballmer. That payment was followed by another document proving that Leonard was sent $1.75 million just days after the initial investment. Hence, not only are the allegations troublesome, actual proof produced by Torre may even lead to a lack of defence, considering the investment may also be proven. And there is precedence for the kind of punishment the NBA can hand out.

Going back, the Minnesota Timberwolves faced a crushing blow 25 years ago when the NBA exposed their cap-circumvention scheme involving Joe Smith. The league stripped five first-round picks, later returning two, and hit them with a $3.5 million fine. They also voided Smith’s contract and erased his Bird Rights. At the same time, the league suspended owner Glen Taylor, while it forced GM Kevin McHale to step aside.

Arbitrator Kenneth Dam upheld commissioner David Stern’s authority to void Smith’s 1998-99 and 1999-00 contracts, sealing the forward’s exit. Minnesota could only offer $611,000, while rival teams lined up with offers from $1 million to $6 million. A secret deal promising Smith a 2001-02 multimillion-dollar extension triggered one of the league’s harshest punishments.

Hence, much depends on the investigation, and the standard of proof the NBA decides to uphold. Precedent states that in such a situation, the league has responded with strictness. However, that was 25 years ago, even though the sheer implications of this controversy suggests strict measures are coming.

Therefore, the LA Clippers could soon see Kawhi Leonard’s contract pushed into jeopardy in the coming days, weeks, or months. Perhaps Steve Ballmer’s fate mirrors Glen Taylor’s, while Trent Redden’s resembles McHale’s. At the same time, Aspiration co-founder Andrei Cherny made an unexpected revelation. He shared excerpts from his Saturday conversation with The Athletic on his X handle.

Amidst trouble brewing for Kawhi Leonard & Co., Aspiration’s co-founder speaks up

Andrei Cherny tweeted: “With the many ‘hot takes’ in the past 10 days about the Clippers/Kawhi Leonard, it’s been surprising (though maybe it shouldn’t be) that until now no reporter has bothered to reach out to me for the facts about that contract. This is what I told the NY Times/Athletic today:”

Cherny refuted the claims about Kawhi Leonard. He said, “The claim that the contract with Kawhi Leonard was a ‘no-show’ contract is false. The contract contained three pages of extensive obligations that Leonard had to perform.” He further clarified that the “beliefs” clause was standard in endorsements. And also added, “It doesn’t mean you can have a ‘belief’ of not talking to a camera.”

He explained, “I don’t remember conversations about the NBA salary cap,” noting he signed the deal before resigning in 2022. Cherny said, “Joe Sanberg is now pleading guilty to criminal acts that were among the reasons that I decided to resign from Aspiration in 2022. And that the company eventually went bankrupt.” He stressed that employees suffered the most. Cherny strongly commented, “It is those of us who worked at Aspiration and gave years of our lives to its mission who were hurt most by what Sanberg did.”

The matter therefore is finely poised. On one hand, Torre’s reports suggest there was plenty of wrongdoing and actual cap circumvention. On the other, Aspiration’s co-founder has continued to refute claims, which again brings us back to the NBA.

Truth has a funny way of circling back, and this time it has landed squarely on the Clippers’ doorstep. From old scandals in Minnesota to fresh whispers in Los Angeles, the league’s rulebook feels sharper than ever. Steve Ballmer and his front office may soon find themselves rewriting history in the worst way. And through it all, Kawhi Leonard’s shadow lingers.