Fresh allegations surrounding Kawhi Leonard’s endorsement contract with Aspiration have added new layers of intrigue to the ongoing NBA probe into the Los Angeles Clippers.
Journalist Pablo Torre revealed on Pablo Torre Finds Out financial records, showing that DEA88 Investments wired nearly $2 million into Aspiration on December 6, 2022—just nine days before Leonard’s company, KL2 Aspire LLC, received a $1.75 million payment. The transaction occurred while the environmental firm was collapsing financially and laying off employees.
Clippers minority owner Dennis J. Wong, who holds a 1 percent stake in the franchise and serves as its alternate governor, was identified as the source of the sudden investment. Wong is also longtime friends and business partners with Clippers majority owner Steve Ballmer, who previously committed $50 million to the company.
Torre reported that Wong’s daughter worked as a project manager at Aspiration at the time, raising further questions about how much the Clippers executive knew about the company’s financial struggles. Despite repeated requests, Wong declined to respond before publication.
The Clippers, however, issued a statement, saying: “The details of our relationship with Aspiration are under NBA investigation, but it is clear the company was a house of cards that defrauded Steve and many others. We look forward to sharing the facts with the league and providing them with all the information they need.”
Additional reporting from The Athletic’s Joe Vardon confirmed that Aspiration employees were laid off the same day Leonard received his $1.75 million payment. Former finance officials described Wong’s investment as “shocking,” noting it was unusual to put money into a company on the brink of collapse, especially for such a relatively small sum compared to its previous $300 million fundraising.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the situation during the preseason Board of Governors meeting in New York. He reiterated his commitment to due process, stressing that the investigation must be completed before any potential penalties are discussed.
The league’s legal team, led by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, is tasked with determining whether the Clippers violated salary cap rules by indirectly funding Leonard’s endorsement contract. Without concrete evidence linking the payments to team negotiations, insiders believe the outcome may be limited to fines or a loss of a second-round draft pick.
