Source: China News Service / Getty
Kawhi Leonard’s deal with the Los Angeles Clippers isn’t what it seems, according to Pablo Torre.
The former ESPN contributor is known for digging into sports lore on his aptly titled podcast, Pablo Torre Finds Out, and his latest deep dive is into Leonard’s contract.
There are allegations that the Clippers tried to work around the salary cap to get Leonard more than the four-year $176.3 million deal he signed in 2021.
It all came to light when a tree-planting company named Aspiration went bankrupt and its co-founder, Joe Sanberg, pleaded guilty to defrauding multiple investors.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was one of the people found in the financial filings, having funded Aspiration with $50 million.
Digging deeper, since going bankrupt, the company still owes people money, including KL2 Aspire Inc., which lists Kawhi Leonard as its manager. They owe Kawhi $7 million, which would be fine, but Torre was unable to find any instances of the two-time champion promoting or endorsing the company that has lined his pockets.
Further proving that it was a no-show contract, documents also purportedly showed that Aspiration was supposed to pay Leonard, or KL2 Aspire, $28 million between 2022 and 2025 only if he was still a member of the Clippers.
“For avoidance of doubt, if Leonard is still being paid by the Team but is a member of another NBA organization or has retired, either of those instances shall qualify as a triggering event for termination by Company,” the court filings read.
A purported former employee in Aspirations’ finance department talked to Torre’s podcast about the business dealings, saying it “was to circumvent the salary cap, lol.”
ESPN reports the deal was signed nine months after Leonard signed that $176.3 million extension, which was the maximum allowed at the time under the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The Clippers have since released a statement denying any involvement.
Neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to Aspiration. Any contrary assertion is provably false. The team ended its relationship with Aspiration years ago, during the 2022-23 season, when Aspiration defaulted on its obligations,” the Clippers said in their statement. “Neither the Clippers nor Mr. Ballmer was aware of any improper activity by Aspiration or its co-founder until after the government instituted its investigation. The team and Mr. Ballmer stand ready to assist law enforcement in any way they can.”
See social media’s reaction to the report below.