Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban said Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer could be “toast” if reports alleging a $28 million arrangement involving Kawhi Leonard prove he knowingly participated.
Cuban shared his perspective during a recent episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out, where Torre broke down the details of the alleged deal between Leonard’s uncle, Dennis Robertson, and Aspiration, a financial services company once partnered with the Clippers.
“Look, if your reporting is right and Steve Ballmer knew, then it’s over, right? It’s over,” Cuban said. “I mean, he’s toast; it’s far worse than Joe Smith. Now, the difference is just because someone says Steve Ballmer knew doesn’t mean he knew.”
The discussion centered on allegations that Aspiration signed Leonard to a $28 million contract while Ballmer simultaneously invested $50 million in the company. Torre reported that multiple sources described the endorsement deal as a top priority within Aspiration, raising suspicions it may have been structured to bypass the NBA’s salary cap rules.
Torre added that the arrangement was not limited to cash. John Karalis of The Boston Globe reported Leonard was also promised $20 million in Aspiration stock through company co-founder Andrei Cherny’s personal holdings, bringing the total alleged compensation to $48 million. The payments were reportedly scheduled in quarterly installments over four years.
Ballmer’s camp has denied that he or the Clippers engaged in misconduct. Earlier this week, the team issued a statement insisting that neither Ballmer nor the organization circumvented league rules. The Clippers also pointed to their $300 million partnership with Aspiration, which sponsored the franchise’s new Intuit Dome arena.
Clippers’ Steve Ballmer calls Aspiration deal a bad investment as Mark Cuban warns he could be ‘toast’
Ballmer further addressed the controversy in an interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, acknowledging his investment in Aspiration but distancing himself from the specifics of the Leonard deal.
“Should I have sniffed it out? Maybe I feel embarrassed and kind of silly that I didn’t sniff it out. But I didn’t,” Ballmer said. “I made the investment, but a lot of smart investors didn’t sniff it out either. This was fraud and a bad investment, and I’m embarrassed by that.”
He added that the issue has weighed heavily on the organization.
“(I want to) express, I guess, some of the anger I’m feeling about what’s going on, and I also feel some sadness for our employees. I’m mad, but I’m also sad that they’re going through this, as well as our staff and our fans,” Ballmer said.
Leonard has not released a statement in response to the allegations. The two-time NBA champion signed a three-year, $150 million extension with the Clippers earlier this year as the franchise continues to pursue its first championship.
For Cuban, the uncertainty comes down to whether Ballmer had direct knowledge of the arrangement. As he put it, “If your reporting is right and Steve Ballmer knew, then it’s over… he’s toast.”
