For months, the Kawhi Leonard saga has followed the LA Clippers around. Now, with ESPN reporting that the NBA found no evidence that Steve Ballmer funneled money to Leonard through team sponsors, the Clippers are finally pushing back publicly on the allegations.
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“The Clippers introduced players, including Kawhi Leonard, to companies with which we had business relationships,” they mentioned in their statement. “Making introductions between players and team partners is both an ordinary practice by NBA teams and a common request of players and representatives.”
They went on, “From there, Kawhi and his representatives handled their own negotiations. The Clippers did not negotiate or dictate the terms of Kawhi’s endorsement agreements or determine what he would be paid.”
The statement also said its partnerships were chosen based on their value, quality, and ability to meet the team’s business needs. The Los Angeles Clippers then argued that an endorsement relationship between a player and one of his team’s business partners does not, on its own, establish salary-cap circumvention.
But while the Clippers have made their stance clear, the NBA isn’t ready to close the book just yet.
NBA pushes back on ESPN’s Kawhi Leonard report
NBA Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass pushed back on ESPN’s reporting, saying ESPN’s article contains “numerous and significant inaccuracies” and mentioned that the league declined to cooperate with ESPN’s investigation.
“The results in this matter will be made clear once the investigation is concluded,” Bass said.
That leaves an important distinction in ESPN’s report. While ESPN has reported that the NBA found no proof that Steve Ballmer secretly routed sponsor money to Kawhi Leonard, it is still examining whether the Clippers crossed a line by connecting Leonard with team partners. Officials are also considering whether the organization failed to properly monitor those interactions, although any potential punishment remains unclear.
The 11-month probe grew beyond Aspiration. Investigators reviewed relationships involving Daktronics and Boingo Wireless too. In September 2025, Pablo Torre reported that Ballmer invested $50 million in Aspiration through his LLC in September 2021. That same month, the Clippers agreed to a $300 million partnership with the company. Reports say Aspiration later gave Leonard a $28 million endorsement deal in April 2022.
For now, Steve Ballmer found some relief, and the Clippers also issued their message. However, Kawhi Leonard has all eyes on him as controversies of salary-cap circumvention continue to hover around him.
What the investigation means for Kawhi Leonard’s Raptors trade
Leonard was traded by the Clippers to the Toronto Raptors on June 30, but the deal has remained on hold while the investigation pans out. Toronto agreed to send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks to Los Angeles for Leonard.
The problem is that the Raptors were informed that they would inherit the risk of any penalties involving Leonard if they finalized the trade. That also includes the theoretical possibility of his contract being voided. So, rather than taking the risk while the investigation remains under wraps, the two sides have kept the deal in limbo. Still, the situation is not falling apart.
Leonard and the Raptors, as reported, expect the trade to eventually be completed, and ESPN reported there has been no indication that his contract will be voided. This gives Toronto and Leonard some reason for optimism for sure, even if it doesn’t provide the final clearance they need.
Commissioner Adam Silver has previously acknowledged that the investigation has taken longer than he hoped and said he wanted the matter resolved before the 2026-27 season begins. Now, with training camps roughly just six weeks away, the clock is ticking.