NBA commissioner Adam Silver and all 30 team owners are meeting today in New York for the league’s preseason board of governors session, with the controversy surrounding Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers set to dominate discussion.
The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov reported that Silver will address the media afterward, where questions about the investigation into Leonard’s endorsement deal with Aspiration are expected to take center stage.
The probe centers on whether the Clippers circumvented the salary cap through Leonard’s $28 million partnership with the California-based sustainability company, which has since filed for bankruptcy. Documents revealed Leonard was paid more than other endorsers such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Drake, and was prioritized for payments even as the company collapsed.
League spokesman Mike Bass confirmed the deal is under review. The NBA hired law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz — previously used in high-profile cases involving Donald Sterling and Robert Sarver — to handle the investigation.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has acknowledged a minor stake in Aspiration, less than three percent, but denied any connection to Leonard’s contract or recruitment in 2019. He has maintained that the franchise acted within league rules.
NBA insider Zach Lowe suggested the likely outcome could be a second-round pick forfeiture and a fine if investigators do not uncover direct ties between Aspiration and the Clippers’ negotiations. A punishment similar to Minnesota’s 2000 case, which cost the Timberwolves multiple first-round picks, is considered improbable.
Still, the possibility of fines, suspensions, or voided contracts remains if investigators determine rules were broken. Insiders such as Sam Amick have emphasized that stronger penalties would require clear evidence linking Aspiration’s payments directly to Los Angeles’ pursuit of Leonard.
