BREAKING: LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer demands an NBA investigation into serious allegations surrounding his team and superstar Kawhi Leonard. In a shocking revelation, Ballmer confirmed that he would “want the league to investigate” claims of salary cap circumvention, made earlier today on a podcast by Pablo Torre.
In an urgent response, the NBA has announced it will indeed probe whether Ballmer and the Clippers violated league rules due to Leonard’s $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration, a now-bankrupt green banking firm in which Ballmer invested. “Salary cap circumvention rules are important to the league, and I’d want the league to investigate,” Ballmer stated in his first interview since the allegations surfaced.
The timing of these accusations is critical. Ballmer’s comments come less than 24 hours after Torre’s podcast, setting off alarm bells across the league and among fans. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that Aspiration’s co-founder Joe Sanberg recently pleaded guilty to fraud after defrauding investors of over $248 million.
Ballmer clarified that Aspiration had requested an introduction to Leonard, but he denied any involvement in the endorsement contract. “I have no idea what the deal was,” he said, emphasizing that he only facilitated an introduction in November 2021, three months after the Clippers secured a $173 million contract extension with Leonard.
The controversy deepens with the backdrop of earlier allegations against Leonard’s business dealings with the Clippers, including claims made during his free agency in 2019. Although the league cleared the team of wrongdoing in those earlier inquiries, it indicated it would reopen investigations if new evidence emerged.
In a candid moment, Ballmer expressed his disappointment over the situation. “These were guys who committed fraud. Look, they conned me,” he admitted. With his initial investment in Aspiration being less than 3 percent, Ballmer insists he had no control over the company’s operations or decisions, stating, “I owned less than 3% of the company. I had no board seat. I had no control.”
Ballmer also addressed the troubling pattern of allegations surrounding Leonard since he joined the Clippers. “I think because he, relatively doesn’t speak much, I think there’s a lot of mystery around Kawhi,” he explained. He emphasized that the Clippers have always acted within the rules and have maintained a great relationship with Leonard.
As this situation develops, fans and analysts alike are left wondering what the repercussions will be for the Clippers and for Kawhi Leonard. The NBA’s investigation could have serious implications for both parties, especially given the mounting scrutiny surrounding the league’s financial regulations.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story unfolds. The ramifications of these allegations could reshape the future of the Clippers and impact the broader landscape of the NBA.
