Reports: Clippers, Kawhi Leonard Linked to $28M Salary Cap Fraud

Kawhi Leonard is at the center of an NBA scandal involving a $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration, a tree-planting company funded by Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. Investigations revealed that Leonard's company, KL2 Aspire LLC, received this payment despite Leonard allegedly performing little to no promotional work, effectively making the deal a "no-show job" designed to circumvent the NBA salary cap. Documents and testimony from former Aspiration employees suggest the deal was the largest individual marketing payment the company ever made and was closely tied to Leonard's status as a Clippers player. Aspiration later filed for bankruptcy, and the Clippers and Ballmer deny any wrongdoing or cap circumvention, with the NBA reportedly finding no evidence of illegal benefits during a prior investigation. The contract allowed Leonard to decline promotional actions and tied payments to his continued employment with the Clippers, raising further questions about the legitimacy of the arrangement. These revelations have sparked widespread controversy and scrutiny over the Clippers' salary cap management and Leonard's contract.