Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers are in hot water. It was recently revealed that the Clippers had possibly circumvented the salary cap to sign Kawhi Leonard back in 2019. A recent report from Pablo Torre Finds Out uncovered that the two-time Finals MVP had secretly signed a $28 million contract for a no-show job with the so-called “green bank,” Aspiration. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer holds a $50 million investment in the bank. It should also be noted that Leonard reportedly received $1.75 million from the company just nine days after Clippers vice chairman Dennis Wong made an investment into the bank.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he had “never heard of the company,” and was “never aware of any endorsement deal with Kawhi or any engagement with the Los Angeles Clippers, so it was all new to me,” he stated.
Silver is allowing the league’s investigation into the Clippers to run its course before imposing any punishment.
“The public at times reaches conclusions that later turn out to be completely false,” Silver said. “I’d want anybody else in the situation Mr. Ballmer is in now, or Kawhi Leonard for that matter, to be treated the same way I would want to be treated if people were making allegations against me.” He added that the NBA is “not a court of law at the end of the day,” but it has “broad authority to look at all information and weigh it accordingly.”
The commissioner made it clear that he has a wide range of penalties at his disposal if Los Angeles is found guilty.
“My powers are very broad,” Silver said. “I have a full range of financial penalties, draft picks, suspensions, etc. I have very broad powers in these situations.”
If the Clippers are found guilty of circumventing the salary cap to acquire a star player, the punishment will likely be severe. It will also have significant repercussions for the organization for years to come.
NBA Investigating Los Angeles Clippers for Potentially Circumventing the Salary Cap to Land Kawhi Leonard
The League Has Seen a Similar Situation Before
The Minnesota Timberwolves were caught circumventing the cap back in 2000. That is when they engaged in illegal dealings with forward Joe Smith. When the findings came to light, then-NBA commissioner David Stern did not go easy on the organization. The punishment was severe. Smith’s contract was voided, the team was fined $3.5 million, and Minnesota was stripped of their next five first-round picks. Furthermore, both the owner (Glen Taylor) and GM (Kevin McHale) at the time were effectively suspended.
One can imagine the kind of punishment Leonard, and the Clippers might face if found guilty. Time will tell, but for now, things are not looking good for Steve Ballmer and company.
