At the heart of the current Clippers saga is an allegation that Aspiration, a company with financial ties to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, agreed to pay Kawhi Leonard $28 million in a multi-year endorsement deal. While presented as a sponsorship, the timing and structure of these payments have fueled suspicion that the arrangement was designed to funnel money to Leonard beyond his NBA salary, effectively circumventing the league’s salary cap and granting the Clippers an unfair competitive edge. With formal league investigation now underway, this case has triggered deep concern about regulatory enforcement, league governance, and the spirit of fair play.
Upgrade to The Editorial For Exclusive Access
Unlock the playbook behind the business of global sport - get exclusive deep dives, early podcast access, subscriber only events and automatic entries into premium prize draws. Join Sports Edge Insight’s paid subscribers and move from spectator to insider on the world’s hottest sports investments and trends.
Upgrade