Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has thrown his support behind Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer as the NBA investigates allegations of salary cap circumvention tied to Kawhi Leonard’s endorsement deal with Aspiration.
Cuban addressed the issue on social media and later expanded on his reasoning, stressing that Ballmer would not jeopardize his franchise by engaging in under-the-table arrangements. He pointed to the timeline of events and the NBA’s own approval process for major sponsorships as key factors.
“The reason I’m on team Steve Ballmer,” Cuban said on Pablo Torre Finds Out, via HoopsHype, “is when I go back and I looked, the deal was in 2021 before their arena opened, right when Kawhi signed their new contract, and it’s $300 million. When you get a deal of that size with a new category sponsor, the NBA has to approve it. So, first of all, the NBA had to have looked into this.”
The controversy stems from Leonard’s $28 million agreement with Aspiration, a bankrupt environmental company in which Ballmer had invested. Journalist Pablo Torre reported that the contract may have been used to funnel payments connected to Leonard’s time in Los Angeles, prompting the league to launch a review.
Ballmer has strongly denied the accusations, insisting the Clippers never crossed the salary cap line and emphasizing his lack of control over Aspiration, where his stake was under three percent. He described himself as a victim of the company’s fraudulent practices.
Cuban argued that the collapse of Aspiration further undermines the notion of a coordinated scheme. “They defaulted on that deal… and Ballmer made an announcement at some point in time saying that the deal was not moving forward and this was several years ago,” Cuban said.
He added that once federal regulators began investigating Aspiration in early 2024, the NBA would have closely examined any potential ties to Ballmer or Leonard. “If he did something illicit and under the table… then he’s got to be the dumbest human being on the planet because he trusted these scammers to do something he knew was against all NBA rules. I just don’t see that happening.”
The Clippers have echoed Ballmer’s position, saying they welcome the league’s investigation and will cooperate fully. Leonard and his representatives have also been described as compliant with NBA regulations.
The situation recalls the league’s last major circumvention case in 2000, when the Minnesota Timberwolves were punished for a hidden contract agreement with Joe Smith. The NBA is expected to interview key figures, including Leonard, as it determines whether violations occurred.
