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The NBA has opened an investigation into a reported endorsement deal involving Kawhi Leonard and a bankrupt startup that could have doubled as a way for the Los Angeles Clippers to sneak around the salary cap.
“We are aware of this morning’s media report regarding the LA Clippers and are commencing an investigation,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass told NBC Sports.
Clippers statement: pic.twitter.com/2nZR75JCTo
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 4, 2025
The deal in question centered around Aspiration, a so-called “green bank” once promoted by celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downey Jr. and Drake.
Leonard signed a $28 million endorsement contract with Aspiration in 2021, according to reporting from Pablo Torre Finds Out.
Despite the lucrative deal, PTFO claims Leonard “never made an appearance or so much as a social media post” for the company.
In that same year, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer invested $50 million into Aspiration.
Internal documents and comments from former Aspiration employees alleged the setup functioned as “a workaround for the NBA’s salary cap.”
One former finance employee recalled, “We went through a litany of really, really top-tier name contracts. And then, ‘Oh, by the way, we also have a marketing deal with Kawhi Leonard’ — and that if I had any questions about it, essentially don’t, because it was to circumvent the salary cap.”
The Clippers strongly deny the accusations.
“Neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to Aspiration. 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. Neither the Clippers nor Mr. Ballmer was aware of any improper activity by Aspiration or its co-founder until after the government instituted its investigation. The team and Mr. Ballmer stand ready to assist law enforcement in any way they can.”
The controversy arrives as Aspiration’s entire business collapses. Co-founder Joe Sanberg pleaded guilty just weeks ago to defrauding investors of more than 248 million dollars. Bankruptcy proceedings remain ongoing, with Leonard’s LLC, the Clippers, and Ballmer’s Forum Entertainment listed among the company’s largest creditors.
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