Around the NBA, outrage over Clippers and Kawhi Leonard case is growing

By all accounts, the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard is only just beginning. But if you ask around the league, plenty of voices are already treating it as an open-and-shut case.

Per The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer, executives, strategists, and agents across the map believe the optics around Leonard’s $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration are so bad that punishment feels inevitable.

As one strategist told him, if the Clippers aren’t docked multiple first-round picks — or if Leonard’s contract isn’t voided while his salary still counts against the cap — rival teams will feel emboldened to create “their own version of shell companies” to funnel money to players.

Fischer added that, even before Pablo Torre’s podcast reporting reignited the controversy, the sentiment among fans, owners, coaches, and agents was clear: the Clippers are guilty until proven innocent.

That lines up with what many executives told The Stein Line — there’s already plenty of circumstantial evidence to warrant action. The league’s CBA even spells it out. It states teams can be punished if circumvention is “proven by direct or circumstantial evidence.”

The “no-show” aspect of Leonard’s deal is particularly troubling, according to industry insiders. Sources told Fischer that his $7 million annual figure sits well above fair market value for an endorsement. And unlike most off-court contracts, Leonard reportedly wasn’t obligated to do anything.

For his part, owner Steve Ballmer told ESPN last week he didn’t know the specifics of Leonard’s Aspiration arrangement. And Fischer notes it’s true that most teams don’t have access to the details of their stars’ sponsorships.

Still, the tie between Ballmer’s $50 million personal investment in the company and Leonard’s lucrative “job” has many rivals convinced this case won’t just fade away.

So while commissioner Adam Silver insists the league won’t act on appearances alone, the chorus from around the NBA is getting louder. And the evidence may already be damning enough.