The Kawhi Leonard controversy has resurfaced, this time linked to his current team, the Los Angeles Clippers. What seemed like a closed chapter is now wide open again after podcaster Pablo Torre uncovered documents connected to the bankruptcy of Aspiration, a company tied to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. The filings suggest Ballmer may have sidestepped NBA salary cap rules by channeling up to **\$48 million** to Leonard through a sham sponsorship arrangement.
More questionable details have since come to light. For instance, Clippers minority owner Dennis Wong reportedly injected **\$2 million** into the financially troubled company just as it struggled to cover a **\$1.75 million payment** owed to Leonard. Ballmer, meanwhile, has denied wrongdoing, insisting he was duped by Aspiration, whose owner is now serving time for fraud. Still, the NBA isn’t taking the allegations lightly, hiring a prestigious law firm to dig into the matter. Depending on the findings, the Clippers could face serious penalties — ranging from steep fines and draft pick losses to, in a worst-case scenario, the termination of Leonard’s contract. Such a move would immediately make him a free agent and could send shockwaves across the league.
This scandal also brings the San Antonio Spurs back into the conversation. Rumors that circulated in **2019** are resurfacing, raising questions about what truly happened in **2018** when Leonard’s relationship with the Spurs fractured. Back then, whispers spread that Leonard’s uncle and self-appointed manager, Dennis Robertson, demanded improper perks from teams pursuing him in free agency. These alleged requests included an ownership share in a franchise or related affiliates (like the Toronto Maple Leafs), unlimited access to a private jet, and exclusive privileges normally reserved for certified player agents — a role Robertson does not hold.
With the Clippers saga unfolding, old suspicions about Leonard’s camp are being revisited. The lingering question: how much of what happened during his departure from San Antonio has yet to be revealed?
Leave a Reply