The Clippers forcefully denied allegations detailed in a podcast published on Wednesday that a discredited global tree-planting company paid Kawhi Leonard $28 million to pad the star forward’s contract and skirt the NBA salary cap.
Investigative journalist Pablo Torre of the Athletic said during “Pablo Finds Out” that he reviewed numerous documents and conducted interviews with former employees of Aspiration Partners, the sustainability services firm that recently declared bankruptcy. Co-founder Joseph Sanberg agreed to plead guilty Aug. 21 to a scheme to defraud investors and lenders of more than $248 million.
During Aspiration’s bankruptcy proceedings, documents emerged citing KL2 Aspire as a creditor owed $7 million, one of four yearly payments of that amount agreed upon in a 2022 contract. KL2 is a limited liability company that names Leonard — whose jersey number is 2 — as its manager.
Aspiration was partially funded by a $50-million investment from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. It is not known whether Ballmer was aware of or played a role in facilitating the employment agreement between Aspiration and Leonard.
Torre revealed during the podcast that he did not find evidence of any marketing or endorsement work done by Leonard for Aspiration. The only connection he found between the player and the company came in a 2023 tweet by the Clippers that read, “Happy Birthday, Kawhi! For every comment/retweet, @Aspiration will plant one tree for Kawhi’s birthday!”
The NBA said in a statement to The Times that “we are aware of this morning’s media report regarding the LA Clippers and are commencing an investigation.” However, the Clippers told The Times in a statement that they could prove that Torre’s allegations are false.
“Neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to Aspiration,” the statement said. “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.
“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.”
A former Aspiration finance department employee whose voice was modulated on Torre’s podcast said that when they noticed the shockingly large fee paid to Leonard, they were told that “If I had any questions about it, essentially don’t because it was to circumvent the salary cap, LOL. There was lots of LOL when things were shared.”
Other celebrities paid to endorse Aspiration and its tree-planting operation included Robert Downey Jr., Leonardo DiCaprio and Drake. The finance department employee said none of them received anything close to the payment given to Leonard.
“Every other celebrity endorsement combined would not have met even a quarter of Kawhi Leonard’s endorsement,” the employee said.
Leonard joined the Clippers in July 2019 on a three-year, $103-million contract after leading the Toronto Raptors to the NBA title. He re-upped for four years and $176.3 million in 2021, then signed a three-year, $153-million extension last year.
When the Clippers landed Leonard in 2019, the NBA was stunned: In a matter of hours, the Clippers had traded for Paul George and signed Leonard, outmaneuvering the Lakers and other suitors.
Suspicions were raised that Ballmer had somehow circumvented the salary cap and compensated Leonard with more than just the max NBA contract. However, the NBA investigated Leonard’s advisor Dennis Robertson — also known as Uncle Dennis — and determined the Clippers had not granted Leonard impermissible benefits.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is adamantly opposed to a team doing an end run around the salary cap with creative under-the-table payments to players, perhaps contributing to the swift acknowledgment that the accusations concerning Leonard have triggered a league investigation.
Under the terms of the NBA collective bargaining agreement, the Clippers could be fined up to $4.5 million and stripped of a first-round draft pick for a first offense if they were found to have circumvented the salary cap.
Six years later, the deal for George and signing of Leonard are viewed in a different light because the Clippers never advanced to the NBA Finals and this season, the team watched assets they surrendered to acquire George — including league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to the championship.
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