Clippers Owner Ballmer Denies Kawhi Leonard Salary Cap Allegations Amid NBA Investigation

The Los Angeles Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer have been embroiled in a major NBA scandal involving allegations that they circumvented the league's salary cap rules through a $28 million endorsement deal with Kawhi Leonard and a now-defunct tree-planting company, Aspiration. Reports revealed that Leonard received substantial payments from Aspiration, which was funded by a $50 million investment from Ballmer, prompting an NBA investigation. Ballmer has publicly denied any wrongdoing, stating that the Clippers have complied with salary cap rules and that his investment in Aspiration was motivated by environmental goals related to making the Intuit Dome carbon neutral, not to manipulate player contracts. The Clippers organization has issued strong denials, emphasizing that Ballmer and the team had no involvement in Leonard's endorsement negotiations, and asserting there was no salary cap circumvention. Legal documents and insider reports suggest the deal was structured to allow Leonard to be paid without performing endorsement activities, raising serious questions about its legitimacy. The NBA's inquiry remains ongoing, with potential penalties including fines, loss of draft picks, or suspensions, while the case continues to divide fan opinion and cast a shadow over the Clippers' franchise.