The NBA is investigating allegations that the Los Angeles Clippers arranged a $28 million “no-show” endorsement deal for Kawhi Leonard with a now-bankrupt sustainability company, allegedly to circumvent the league’s salary cap.
Aspiration, the “green” financial services firm at the center of the controversy, filed for bankruptcy in March 2025. Court filings listed KL2 Aspire LLC—reportedly linked to Leonard—as a creditor, according to Complex.
Sports journalist Pablo Torre detailed the claims on his podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out, presenting legal documents that showed Leonard signed a contract allowing him to collect millions without doing any actual work, so long as he remained a Clippers player.
The NBA acknowledged the report and confirmed it has launched an investigation. If the allegations are substantiated, the potential penalties are severe: fines up to $7.5 million, forfeiture of draft picks, voided contracts, and suspensions.
The Clippers, however, strongly denied any wrongdoing. In a statement shared with USA Today, the team said:
“Neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct.”
Leonard originally joined the Clippers in July 2019, signing a four-year, $140.6 million deal before inking subsequent extensions with the franchise.
