The fallout from Pablo Torre’s bombshell report alleging the Los Angeles Clippers orchestrated a secret $28 million deal connected to Kawhi Leonard has deepened, with former San Antonio Spurs executive Kirk Goldsberry revealing further details about the star forward’s uncle, Dennis Robertson.
On Wednesday, Torre reported that Leonard signed an endorsement agreement with Aspiration, a “tree brokerage” company affiliated with the Clippers that allegedly helped circumvent the NBA’s salary cap rules. The company later filed for bankruptcy, but documents and interviews with former employees raised questions about whether the arrangement was legitimate.
Ex-Spurs VP links Kawhi Leonard’s uncle to ongoing league concerns
Goldsberry, who previously served as the Spurs’ vice president of strategic research, addressed the situation on the latest episode of The Zach Lowe Show, saying Robertson’s involvement dates back to Leonard’s time in San Antonio.
“I think the idea that you would get paid four years and $28 million to never do anything is a big red flag,” Goldsberry said. “And I think your timeline did another excellent thing there, which is there are breadcrumbs with this dude Dennis Robertson that connect back to my time in San Antonio, that 2019 championship and contract negotiation with Toronto, all the investigations including a preexisting investigations into that free agency.”
Goldsberry added that several league executives have long voiced concerns about Robertson’s influence over negotiations.
“So here’s where we’re at. One of the executives I talked to said, ‘Hey man, there’s a lot of coincidences here, right? Maybe too many coincidences,’” Goldsberry said. “And you lined a lot of them up, and I added the previous investigation into this Clippers Kawhi Leonard relationship as that. The other thing is we don’t know enough right now… and so when you talk to people around the league, you’ll get a mix of, this is a potential bombshell, but they’re all saying potential. We don’t know enough.”
Leonard’s uncle under scrutiny as Pablo Torre hints at Knicks investigation
Leonard’s exit from San Antonio in 2018 after a dispute over his injury rehabilitation was marked by tension between the Spurs and Robertson, who acted as Leonard’s business manager. Robertson’s role continued into Leonard’s subsequent stints with the Toronto Raptors and the Clippers, shaping his reputation as one of the league’s most enigmatic stars.
Torre suggested the Clippers case may not be the only one worth exploring. On The Dan Patrick Show, he teased that he could investigate the New York Knicks and how they acquired guard Jalen Brunson.
“How he arrived at the Knicks, this is where I will have to defer to the reporting I may or may not do on this,” Torre said. “Certainly was interesting, right? Like, okay, that’s a pretty good deal for the Knicks. Anyway, I don’t want to get ahead of myself in terms of… It’s a bit of a tease. I’m showing a little ankle with you. I always show a little bit more ankle than I should with you.”
For now, questions surrounding Leonard, Robertson and the Clippers highlight the complexity of navigating NBA salary cap rules and the shadowy areas where endorsements and team business interests collide.
