Kawhi Leonard Saga

So there are a lot of articles and videos about this, but here's a brief overview: https://www.news.com.au/sport/basketbal ... 67b33fc09e

The NBA is looking into a report that Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard allegedly signed a $28 million (A$43 million) no-show marketing agreement to circumvent the salary cap.

“We are aware of this morning’s media report regarding the LA Clippers and are commencing an investigation,” NBA spokesperson Mike Bass told the NY Post in a statement.

The allegations came to light in an episode of the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast\, which reported that a San Francisco-based, environmental start-up company — partially funded by a $50 million investment from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer — named Aspiration had inked Leonard to a four-year endorsement deal.

But the deal was a “no-show job” that was designed to help get around the league’s salary cap, according to the podcast’s report.

The most recent twist: https://www.sportbible.com/nba/la-clipp ... 5-20250911

Several former Aspiration employees have alleged that the four-year $28 million endorsement deal Leonard signed in 2022 was designed to circumvent the salary cap. Now, fresh allegations have emerged involving Clippers minority owner Dennis Wong.

According to reports, Wong invested nearly $2 million into Aspiration, who then paid Leonard $1.75 million as part of his endorsement deal.

Probably the biggest contract scandal since Joe Smith and the Minnesota Timberwolves 25 years ago. That's the comparison that a lot of people have been making. It remains to be seen how hard the league will come down on the Clippers and Kawhi, but it's definitely a stain on his reputation. It sounds like he and Uncle Dennis made a few improper requests along these lines while negotiating with other teams as well.

Speaking of which, other teams are reportedly understandably mad, though you do wonder who else might've made similar agreements in recent years. There might be a couple of other teams who don't want the league to look too closely at them, either.

As someone who remembers the Joe Smith deal well I think if guilty the Clippers and Leonard should face the same fate, its not like these players are being paid penny's there making so much money but are happy for a team to break the rules to pay them more, no wonder the Raptors didnt buy into this with Leonard's team and let him walk.

It should be a much harsher penalty in my opinion. The Timberwolves lost draft picks and Joe Smith's contract was voided based on an agreement to sign him to big money down the line. That was wrong of course, but it feels less egregious than setting up a shell company to actually pay a player above and beyond their contract.

I do like the joke that I've seen about the worst punishment for Kawhi being that he'd be forced to actually play 82 games, though.

Lol I hadn't heard that one but that's hilarious

I do agree that the punishment should be a big one, the fact that they did it even after Joe Smith and knew what can happen