Overview
- NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said the league has begun an inquiry following reports of a $28 million arrangement connected to Kawhi Leonard.
- Journalist Pablo Torre reported a 2022 Aspiration–KL2 Aspire sponsorship paying $7 million annually for four years, with the final installment still owed at Aspiration’s bankruptcy.
- Bankruptcy schedules list the Clippers as a creditor for roughly $30 million and KL2 Aspire owed $7 million, and California records name Leonard as KL2’s manager.
- The Clippers issued a statement denying any salary‑cap circumvention or misconduct, saying their Aspiration partnership ended in 2022–23 after a default and pledging cooperation with investigators.
- Aspiration cofounder Joseph Sanberg agreed to plead guilty to federal wire‑fraud charges, and potential NBA penalties for proven cap violations include fines up to $7.5 million, voided contracts, and loss of draft picks.