Kawhi Leonard Responds to Sponsorship Deal Controversy Amid NBA Probe

The Clippers star Kawhi Leonard spoke out about the financial history surrounding his sponsorship deal, saying he did not receive the full amount from the California company that is now under the NBA’s scrutiny. He stressed that there were no improper actions on his part.

Leonard made his first public comments on the matter during the team’s media day after journalist Pablo Torre published earlier this month. He claimed that the club violated NBA rules related to the salary cap in the context of a sponsorship deal worth $28 million between Leonard and the bankrupt Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC.

The NBA has already engaged an outside firm to conduct an investigation.

The NBA will do its job. None of us did anything improper, and that’s all there is to it.

The Clippers deny any rules violations and say they will fully support the league’s investigation.

The assumptions and conclusions that have been drawn are disappointing and troubling, and we expect the investigation to show that these claims are false.

Steve Ballmer, the club’s owner, previously invested over $50 million in Aspiration, and in September 2021 the club announced a $300 million partnership. After that, Leonard signed a four-year contract extension with the club worth $176 million.

I need to go over the books, Leonard said, but it was more than that, no doubt.

“No, but the company went bankrupt. It was fraud, as everyone knows,” Leonard added in response to the question of whether he received money.

I don’t think that’s certain.

Leonard noted that the situation is already in the past and his focus now is on the upcoming season: “I don’t read headlines or new conspiracy theories or anything like that.”

Dennis knows the rules, Kawhi knows the rules, Mitch Frankel knows the rules, and we know the rules.

According to preliminary analysis by the NBA investigation, salary-cap violations could lead to serious consequences, including fines, contract cancellations, or forfeiture of future draft picks.

The allegations raised against us are serious and they do not reflect my experience, my reality.

In final remarks the authors stated that the investigation should shed complete truth, and the team is confident that the picture that comes to light will reflect reality without exaggeration.

Let’s not forget: this was a case of widespread fraud, and there were many victims.

Aspiration owed Leonard about $7 million of the $28 million deal at the time the company went bankrupt.

I need to go over the books, Leonard said, but it was more than that, no doubt.

And although Leonard acknowledged Aspiration’s obligations, he stressed that the company did go bankrupt, but that does not automatically confirm details of his payments.

I don’t think that’s certain.

According to Leonard, the situation turned into a new experience, and the team is focused on the future and the season’s momentum: “This is old. This is all new to you. The company went bankrupt some time ago, so we already knew this would happen,” the player noted.

Leonard also stressed that his priority now is preparing for the next season and avoiding unnecessary discussions around headlines: “I don’t read headlines or new conspiracy theories or anything like that.”

Dennis knows the rules, Kawhi knows the rules, Mitch Frankel knows the rules, and we know the rules.

In the future, penalties for salary-cap violations could reach significant sums, cancel contracts, and deprive clubs of future draft picks if the investigation confirms violations.

The allegations raised against us are serious and they do not reflect my experience, my reality.

In the end, the article’s authors emphasized that the team expects open truth and a full, disclosed picture, and that the investigation should provide a clear and balanced account of the events.