After nearly a year of investigating the matter, the NBA reached an official conclusion on its findings involving the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard on Wednesday. The investigation found "a pattern of misconduct" by the organization that violated several league rules, concluding that the Clippers circumvented the salary cap by initiating and facilitating off-court endorsement deals between Leonard and four companies doing business with the team: Aspiration, Boingo Wireless, Daktronics, and Lockton Insurance. The Clippers were hit hard by the NBA, receiving a $30 million fine and forfeiting five future first-round picks.
Leonard, meanwhile, walked away with just a $700,000 fine — no suspension, no voided contract. The prevailing belief has been that Leonard's business partners, including his uncle and business manager Dennis Robertson, took advantage of him, and that the star forward wasn't aware of what was happening. But according to sports journalist Pablo Torre, who first shed light on the potential salary cap circumvention last year, Leonard may not be so innocent.
More news: Kawhi Leonard Trade Gets Major Update After NBA Investigation More news: Rockets Sign Budding Star to $208 Million Contract Extension "I'm a big fan of treating adults like adults. Kawhi Leonard is 35 years old, and we have documents," Torre said on a recent episode of "The Stephen A. Smith Show." "Aspiration contract, in fact, a $28 million contract in which his signature is on it.
We have him actually in the NBA report, by the way, specifically. This is not Dennis Robertson. Leonard in the report, requesting that Aspiration flip how they were going to pay him.
They initially were like, 'We're going to give you the seven a year in stock and the four and the five a year in salary.' And Mr. Leonard, according to the NBA, wanted it the other way — so 28 in cash and 20 in equity. That's a Kawhi Leonard citation specifically." Torre followed up by posting the Aspiration contract with Leonard's signature on X, along with a "👀" emoji.
More news: Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard-Paul George Era Came at a Staggering Cost Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, along with several other members of the organization — including President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker and President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank — were all suspended from team and league activities, some for up to a year. Leonard, meanwhile, gets to walk away with a $700,000 fine, which amounts to pocket change considering he makes close to $50 million a year. His contract hasn't been voided, and the trade that was supposed to send him to the Toronto Raptors is reportedly back on.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
