Clippers address salary-cap allegations concerning Kawhi Leonard

In a statement released to ESPN's NBA insider Shams Charania, the Clippers denied any wrongdoing and called the allegations "absurd." 

The situation still seems fishy

The deal Leonard signed seems suspicious, as it reportedly didn't require him to do anything at all. It would also be voided if he left the team.

Aspiration didn't prove to be a legitimate company. It filed for bankruptcy in April after co-founder Joseph Sanberg was charged with fraud. 

The Clippers insist that they were a victim in this scandal. Before defaulting on its contract, Aspiration was a sponsor for them during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. 

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was an investor in the company, but the team said he wasn't aware of the crimes. 

As for the endorsement deal with Leonard, the Clippers say they had no "oversight" in his negotiations with Aspiration, and "to say otherwise is flat-out wrong." 

Torre stood by his reporting on his X account and questioned some of the Clippers' claims.

The Clippers may be releasing this statement to avoid a public relations nightmare. However, they may not avoid being punished by the NBA. Soon after Torre's report, the league announced it would investigate the Clippers and Leonard to see if they cheated the salary cap.  

The investigation should reveal whether the Clippers' statement is true. It could also reveal that it's phony, like Leonard's reported deal.