Overview
- Investigators from the independent law firm Wachtell have interviewed Kawhi Leonard, his adviser Dennis Robertson, owner Steve Ballmer, Clippers executives and former Aspiration officials, with those interviews reported late Friday.
- The probe focuses on an alleged $28 million Aspiration agreement that Prado reporting says promised cash to Leonard from 2022 through 2025 tied to him playing for the Clippers.
- The law firm is assembling a factual record that will be presented to Adam Silver, who has said the investigation is far along and that he will determine any penalties based on those findings.
- Ballmer, Leonard and the Clippers have publicly denied wrongdoing while some team officials have privately expressed frustration about proving their innocence; the probe has also been clouded by Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg’s criminal case and sentencing.
- If the league finds salary-cap circumvention the collective bargaining agreement allows fines, loss of draft picks, suspension of personnel or voiding of contracts, outcomes that could reshape the Clippers’ roster and offseason planning.