The Los Angeles Clippers and proprietor Steve Ballmer are accused of paying star Kawhi Leonard $28 million for a “no-show job” as a strategy to circumvent the NBA wage cap, in line with a report by Pablo Torre.
Torre laid out the alleged scandal on his program, “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” on Wednesday. The present — which options loads of direct quotes from authorized paperwork — made the argument Leonard was paid $28 million by an organization owned by Ballmer to basically do nothing. Ballmer is accused of utilizing the settlement as a strategy to pay Leonard greater than his contract, which — if true — is a violation of NBA guidelines.
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The whole scenario revolves round a now-bankrupt firm referred to as Aspiration, a tree-planting service funded by Ballmer. Aspiration entered a $28 million authorized settlement with KL2 Aspire, LLC, an organization owned by Leonard.
Torre tried to seek out any proof that Leonard ever marketed for or endorsed the corporate, however got here up empty. A clause in one of many contract paperwork between Aspiration and KL2 Aspire LLC said Leonard might “decline to proceed with any motion desired by the Firm,” basically giving Leonard the flexibility to receives a commission with out doing something. One other clause said Leonard would solely be paid if he remained a member of the Clippers.
Funds from Aspiration to KL2 Aspire LLC had been despatched to Dennis Robertson, Leonard’s advisor who was investigated by the NBA in 2019 for asking for impermissible advantages. The NBA accomplished that investigation into Robertson — also called Uncle Dennis — and located no proof the Clippers granted unlawful advantages to Leonard whereas pursuing him in free company.
Torre spoke to a handful of former Aspiration workers in regards to the scenario, one in all which agreed to do an interview with a voice modifier. That worker claimed they had been instructed the settlement between Aspiration and Leonard was achieved to “circumvent the wage cap.”
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The whole alleged scandal was summed up by Torre’s present in a four-and-a-half minute video.
The Clippers responded to these allegations by sending the next quote to Torre:
“Neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the wage cap or engaged in any misconduct associated to Aspiration. Any opposite assertion is provably false.”
On the time of the 2019 investigation into Robertson, sources instructed Sam Amick of The Athletic that whereas no proof of unlawful advantages was discovered, NBA commissioner Adam Silver considers the problem “a cardinal sin of the NBA” and that the league would re-open its investigation into the scenario if extra proof got here to mild.
The NBA has not issued an announcement on Torre’s report presently.
Leonard initially joined the Clippers on a three-year, $104 million deal in 2019. He re-upped with the crew on a four-year, $176 million extension in 2021 after which signed a three-year, $149 million extension with the crew in 2024.
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This story will likely be up to date.
