The NBA’s year-long investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers found no evidence that owner Steve Ballmer funneled money to Kawhi Leonard through team sponsors, per ESPN. The finding clears the most direct accusation against Ballmer. But the probe isn’t finished.
What the investigation found – and what it’s still looking at
The case dates to a 2025 report by Pablo Torre alleging that Ballmer personally invested $50 million in Aspiration, a banking company, in September 2021. That same month, the Clippers signed a $300 million partnership with Aspiration. In April 2022, Aspiration separately inked a $28 million endorsement agreement with Leonard.
The implication: money moved through a sponsor to compensate Leonard above the salary cap. After nearly a year of investigation led by law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, the NBA found no direct evidence of that mechanism.
Where investigators are still focused: whether the Clippers’ role in connecting Leonard to Aspiration constitutes “failure to supervise” under league rules. That question remains unresolved.
The trade and the timeline
Leonard’s proposed trade to the Toronto Raptors stays frozen pending the investigation’s conclusion. Commissioner Adam Silver has said publicly he wants the matter resolved before training camps open September 22. Settlement talks between the NBA and Clippers have reportedly begun, per NBC Sports.
The NBA disputed ESPN’s report, citing “numerous and significant inaccuracies” in how the findings were characterized. The league did not specify which details it contested.
What this means for the Clippers
If the “failure to supervise” question resolves favorably – or via settlement – the trade clears and Leonard officially joins the Raptors. If it doesn’t, the Clippers face sanctions and their roster situation stays murky entering a year that was supposed to be a fresh start in Los Angeles.
Six weeks to training camp. A franchise rebuild on hold. The clock is running.
