Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his front office remain convinced the franchise will emerge without penalty from the NBA’s ongoing investigation into possible salary cap circumvention involving Kawhi Leonard, according to a report from The Washington Post.
Ben Golliver reported Tuesday that Ballmer and his executives are “steadfast” in their belief that the league will clear them of wrongdoing. The probe, led by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, has created disruption throughout the organization since it began in September.
“In the Clippers’ front office, the September storm has disrupted business as usual,” Golliver wrote. “According to team executives, who spoke with The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly, Ballmer and his front office are steadfast in their belief that they will be exonerated by the NBA’s investigation, which is being conducted by the Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz law firm.”
The same executives described the past weeks as “exhausting” and “infuriating,” emphasizing their confidence that the Clippers complied with league rules. One executive told the Post he was “not afraid” of severe punishment, which could range from fines up to $7.5 million to the loss of draft picks, suspensions, or even the termination of Leonard’s contract. The All-Star forward is signed with the franchise through the 2026-27 season.
Kawhi Leonard’s Aspiration ties at center of Clippers’ defense in NBA probe
At the center of the controversy is Leonard’s association with Aspiration, a financial firm with ties to Ballmer. The company’s co-founder, Joe Sanberg, agreed last month to plead guilty to two counts of wire fraud in a separate Justice Department case. The NBA is examining whether Leonard’s potential $50 million endorsement deal with Aspiration represented an improper benefit connected to his 2019 free agency decision to join the Clippers.
The Clippers have insisted their organization was not involved in any deal between Leonard and the firm. Their position is that they have consistently respected the salary cap and that any wrongdoing was the result of Sanberg’s fraudulent actions.
“The gist of the Clippers’ defense goes like this: They understand and respect the salary cap; they were not involved illegally in Leonard’s deal with Aspiration; and they were victims of fraud perpetrated by Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg,” Golliver wrote.
Ballmer himself invested tens of millions of dollars into Aspiration, believing in its environmental initiatives, including tree-planting programs designed to offset carbon emissions. The billionaire, who amassed his fortune as Microsoft’s former CEO and has a net worth estimated at more than $150 billion, has maintained that the franchise conducted its business properly during Leonard’s recruitment and beyond.
The NBA’s investigation comes as the Clippers prepare to move into their new arena, the Intuit Dome, while continuing to build around Leonard as the centerpiece of the franchise. For now, Ballmer and his front office remain firm in their stance that the organization acted within the rules and will ultimately be cleared.
