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Kawhi Leonard’s Clippers Endorsement Scandal Receives Alarming Update

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paul White | Last updated Sep 11, 2025 8:44 AM ET

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard rarely finds himself at the center of media attention, but this offseason has been much different.

The two-time champion and the Clippers are facing serious accusations of circumventing the salary cap to give him more money under the table.

It’s alleged that Leonard signed an endorsement with a sustainability company, Aspiration, which was a front for Clippers owner Steve Ballmer to give the star extra money without him needing to work for it.

Ballmer has vehemently denied the accusations, but if a recent report is true, then it could be incredibly damaging to his credibility. Journalist Pablo Torre, who originally broke the news, is reporting that Leonard was given a late $1.75 million payment just days after a Clippers executive invested nearly $2 million into the company.

EXCLUSIVE: Kawhi Leonard's $1.75M "no-show" payday was running late.

Then, per new documents obtained by @PabloTorre, the Clippers' co-owner invested $1.99M in the team's broke sponsor.

Nine days later, Kawhi got paid.

"It is beyond shocking," an Aspiration executive says. pic.twitter.com/yxOYGfo3dZ
— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) September 11, 2025

While this allegation doesn’t directly implicate Ballmer, it’s tough to believe he was completely unaware of a multi-million dollar investment from one of his most trusted employees.

If the claims are true, then it gives credence to the idea of the supposed endorsement being a no-show business, where Leonard gets paid regardless of his commitments to the company.

Potential Repercussions for Leonard and Ballmer

The NBA has already announced that Los Angeles is under investigation, and if they are found to be at fault, the financial penalties could be steep.

Considering the six-time All-Star’s alleged endorsement deal was for $28 million, the Clippers could receive the largest fine or forced repayment in league history.

The previous largest was just $3.5 million, so it’s safe to say the cost for Los Angeles would be exponentially higher. As for Leonard, it’s still unclear if the league is out to reprimand him for his cooperation in the scandal, but it’s certainly a possibility.

The team appears to be more at fault because the onus is on them to follow cap regulations, but it’s difficult to image a scenario where the NBA lets Leonard off the hook, knowing he was a willing participant in an unprecedented scandal.

Nothing has been confirmed, but things are not looking good at the moment.

Clippers Outlook for 2025

The Clippers shocked many by managing to keep themselves afloat in Leonard’s injury absence last season.

They lost in the first round of the playoffs, but fans were excited for what the team could accomplish with point guard James Harden and a healthy Leonard playing together for an entire season.

The team underwent a significant roster overhaul this summer, but if Leonard is suspended, then their plans could be quickly foiled. Even if he’s available to begin the season, we’ve seen unfortunate situations like these become a dark cloud over teams’ heads.

Los Angeles is praying that the league finds no evidence of these claims, or their season could be over before it even begins.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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