Los Angeles Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer Breaks Silence on Kawhi Leonard, Aspiration Situation

Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer spoke with NBA reporter Ramona Shelburne of ESPN about the Kawhi Leonard, Aspiration situation.

Leonard allegedly received a no-work contract from Aspiration so that he could be paid more money without it counting against the NBA’s salary rules.

Ballmer invested $50 million in the now bankrupt green banking company.

“The allegations have not been true,” Steve Ballmer said. “But what’s most important to me is we’ve done the right thing in all those interactions. You know Kawhi’s business is Kawhi’s business. But we’ve always done the right thing.”

Ballmer said Aspiration asked him to introduce the company to Leonard, but he denied he knew about the endorsement contract the sides eventually signed or that he directed the company to do so.

Ballmer said the introduction came in November 2021, three months after the Clippers had agreed to a four-year, $173 million extension with Leonard. Two months earlier, in September 2021, the Clippers announced a massive $300 million partnership with Aspiration.

“We were done. We were done with Kawhi, we were done with Aspiration. The deals were all locked and loaded,” Steve Ballmer said. “Then, they did request to be introduced to Kawhi, and under the rules, we can introduce our sponsors to our athletes. We just can’t be involved. We made an introduction, that was in early November.”

Leonard’s uncle and chief business partner, Dennis Robertson, asked teams for improper benefits in 2019, according to The Athletic. A two-time Finals MVP, Leonard was linked to the Toronto Raptors, Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers in 2019. He left the Raptors for the Clippers on a three-year, $104 million contract.

Leonard, 34, signed a three-year, $149.5 million extension with the Clippers in January 2024. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year has appeared in 266 regular-season games and 35 playoff games with LAC.

A six-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer, Leonard has played for the San Antonio Spurs, Raptors and Clippers. He has career averages of 20.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.6 blocks.