{"id":127083,"date":"2025-09-08T05:28:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T05:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/127083\/"},"modified":"2025-09-08T05:28:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T05:28:09","slug":"clippers-could-receive-big-punishment-over-kawhi-leonard-controversy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/127083\/","title":{"rendered":"Clippers Could Receive Big Punishment Over Kawhi Leonard Controversy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Four days after allegations surfaced that the LA Clippers<\/a> and Kawhi Leonard circumvented the NBA’s salary cap through an outside “no-show” endorsement deal with environmental start-up Aspiration; no conclusion has been reached by the NBA.<\/p>\n

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer remains adamant that the team did no wrong.<\/p>\n

“We were done with Kawhi(‘s contract negotiations),” Ballmer said. “Then, (Aspiration) did request to be introduced to Kawhi, and under the rules, we can introduce our sponsors to our athletes. We just can’t be involved.”<\/p>\n

Thursday night, @LAClippers<\/a> owner @Steven_Ballmer<\/a> sits down with @ramonashelburne<\/a> on @SportsCenter<\/a> <\/p>\n

The interview will air on the 11p ET edition following the Women\u2019s #USOpen<\/a> Semifinal on ESPN<\/p>\n

Re-airing on SportsCenter with @notthefakeSVP<\/a> at Midnight ET pic.twitter.com\/wrrnTanSGr<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 5, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

“Any speculation would be crazy,” he added. “These were guys who committed fraud. Look, they conned me! They conned me!”<\/p>\n

As the NBA’s investigation continues \u2014 led by law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz \u2014 potential punishments for the Clippers have been outlined.<\/p>\n

According to Section 3 of Article XIII of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, which details the \u2018Penalties\u2019 within the section that covers salary cap circumvention, any team that violates league rules for a first time, as well as the player, could face the following punishments:<\/p>\n

Voiding Kawhi Leonards contract with the Clippers is on the table, per @sam_amick<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u201cIf they can prove that Kawhi was incentivized to not only stay, but to sign team-friendly deals that gave them more flexibility\u201d pic.twitter.com\/UwsN5ks6Ah<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) September 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

If the Clippers are found to have intentionally circumvented the salary cap, the most extreme of those punishments will certainly be considered. And in the event that Leonard’s contract is voided, several teams around the NBA would be in the mix to land him.<\/p>\n

All of that is contingent, of course, on whether the NBA finds sufficient evidence. If the Clippers had their way, it wouldn’t take long to prove the opposite.<\/p>\n

\u201cNeither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to Aspiration,” the Clippers wrote in a statement. “Any contrary assertion is provably false: The team ended its relationship with Aspiration years ago, during the 2022-23 season, when Aspiration defaulted on its obligations.”<\/p>\n