The Los Angeles Clippers are fed up with how long the NBA’s investigation into their Kawhi Leonard endorsement arrangement has dragged on, and they are making sure Commissioner Adam Silver hears about it.
According to NBA insider Iko Montalk of HoopsHype, the Clippers are “extremely displeased” with Silver and the league office over the scope and length of the internal probe — and continue to communicate that displeasure through proper channels. The frustration has been building for months as the investigation, launched in September, stretches well past the half-year mark with no resolution in sight.
The probe centers on whether the Clippers circumvented the salary cap through a four-year, $28 million endorsement deal Leonard signed in 2022 with Aspiration, an environmental startup that received a $50 million investment from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. Seven former Aspiration employees told journalist Pablo Torre’s podcast “Pablo Torre Finds Out” that the deal was a “no-show job” — Leonard allegedly made no public appearances, appeared in no marketing materials, and posted nothing about the company on social media. Torre won the Pulitzer Prize in May for uncovering the connections between the Clippers, Leonard, and the now-bankrupt company.
The league retained the white-shoe law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to investigate — the same firm that handled the Donald Sterling case in 2014 and the Robert Sarver investigation in 2022. Both of those inquiries ended with owners being forced out. This one, though different in nature, carries its own heavy potential penalties: fines up to $7.5 million, forfeiture of draft picks, and possibly even the voiding of Leonard’s contract.
Silver addressed the investigation at his annual NBA Finals press conference in San Antonio, saying the league was “close to the point now where I think we need to wrap this up.” He acknowledged the need for finality but declined to set a specific date for when the Wachtell Lipton report would be delivered, later indicating a decision could come by the end of summer.
“You need finality,” Silver said. “The most important thing is that we get it right. I certainly hear many things all the time about the perception of what really happened or didn’t happen here. I wouldn’t be doing my job if, ultimately, I issue a determination based on perception. My job is to follow the facts.”
The Clippers have vehemently denied any wrongdoing. Ballmer told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne he was “embarrassed” and “duped” by Aspiration, saying he had no board seat and no control over the company. The team released a statement calling the notion that Ballmer invested in Aspiration to funnel money to Leonard “absurd.”
Adding a layer of legal complexity, Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg was sentenced this month to 14 years in prison for defrauding investors of $248 million — including Ballmer and the Clippers organization, which are listed among creditors in Aspiration’s bankruptcy filing.
The Clippers’ impatience is understandable from a competitive standpoint. The franchise cannot plan its roster future with the possibility of losing draft picks or having its franchise player’s contract voided hanging overhead. But the league office also faces pressure from the other 29 owners, who will ultimately vote on any punishment and want to see a thorough report before deciding how hard to come down on one of their own.
Silver put it plainly: “We can’t be investigating forever.”
Nine months and counting, the Clippers would surely agree. They just want it to end on their terms.
Sources:
- The Athletic — Adam Silver on Clippers investigation
- Yahoo Sports / HoopsHype — Clippers displeased with Adam Silver
- NBC Sports — NBA hires law firm for Kawhi Leonard investigation
- Yahoo Sports — NBA hires law firm to investigate Kawhi Leonard scandal
- Yahoo Sports — Adam Silver updates investigation timeline