The NBA will likely punish the Los Angeles Clippers for the Kawhi Leonard, Aspiration scandal, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Aspiration allegedly paid Leonard $48 million for a “no-show job” intended to circumvent the NBA salary cap.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer invested $10 million in Aspiration in March 2023. The billionaire had invested $50 million in Aspiration 18 months prior.
Ballmer introduced Aspiration to Leonard in November 2021, three months after the Clippers had agreed to a four-year, $173 million extension with Leonard. Two months earlier, in September 2021, the Clippers announced a lucrative $300 million partnership with Aspiration.
Aspiration paid Leonard $1.7 million days after Clippers minority owner Dennis J. Wong made an almost $2 million investment in the company. This took place in December 2022. Leonard also got $20 million in Aspiration shares directly from co-founder Joe Sanberg.
Ballmer and the Clippers invested $118 million in Aspiration in 18 months. LAC’s chief financial officer signed off on a $21 million payment from the team to fund various “carbon projects” for Aspiration in June 2022. The $21 million was enough for Leonard’s first quarterly payment as part of his “no-show” endorsement deal with Aspiration. It also hit Aspiration’s fundraising target.
Pablo Torre of Pablo Torre Finds Out broke this story last offseason. He reported that Ballmer donated $1.875 million to Aspiration 1.5 years after the Clippers deal ended and Leonard was also personally guaranteed another $20 million in Aspiration equity.
The Clippers signed Leonard in the offseason of 2019. Leonard’s stint with LAC has been disappointing, as the franchise hasn’t reached the NBA Finals and Leonard hasn’t been able to stay healthy.
Leonard turns 35 in June. The two-time Finals MVP will make $50.3 million next season in the final year of his contract.
The Clippers traded James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers at this year’s trade deadline, but they decided to keep Leonard.
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