Steve Ballmer Requests NBA Investigation After Allegations of Irregularities with Kawhi Leonard
Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has expressed his desire for the NBA to thoroughly investigate allegations of potential salary cap violations. These accusations arose in a podcast where a sponsorship deal of Kawhi Leonard with Aspiration, a green banking company now in bankruptcy, was mentioned.The NBA has already announced an investigation to determine if Ballmer and the Clippers violated league rules. The controversy centers on a $28 million deal that Leonard received from Aspiration, in which Ballmer had invested. Ballmer stated that Aspiration asked him to present the company to Leonard, but denied having knowledge of the finalized sponsorship contract. He explained that the presentation took place in November 2021, months after the Clippers agreed to a contract extension with Leonard. In September 2021, the Clippers announced a $300 million partnership with Aspiration, which included advertising in the stadium and on the team’s uniform. Ballmer revealed that Aspiration also aspired to the stadium naming rights, even offering more than Intuit, the company ultimately selected. Ballmer highlighted that the introduction to Leonard was done under NBA rules, which allow teams to introduce their sponsors to players, but without directly involving themselves in the agreements. Ballmer also commented on his collaboration with a Department of Justice investigation into Aspiration. The company’s co-founder, Joe Sanberg, pleaded guilty to fraud for defrauding investors and lenders of more than $248 million. Ballmer stated that he felt “ashamed” for not detecting the warning signs, as he reviewed financial reports that turned out to be fraudulent. Furthermore, he emphasized that he had no control over the company, owning less than 3% of the ownership and not being part of the board of directors. These accusations add to a series of controversies surrounding Leonard and his business dealings with the Clippers. The NBA previously investigated the team for allegations of improper solicitations during Leonard’s free agency in 2019. The league cleared the Clippers of any wrongdoing at that time. In response to questions about the accusations, Ballmer stated that the team and Leonard know and respect the league’s rules. He also suggested that Leonard’s lack of public communication could generate speculation. Ballmer concluded that, despite the accusations, they have always acted correctly in their interactions with Leonard.I want the league to investigate, to take it seriously.
Steve Ballmer
