Adam Silver confirms Clippers cap circumvention investigation

Adam Silver said he’s “bringing out the big guns” to investigate the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard for potential salary cap circumvention, but added the burden lies with the league to find hard proof before he doles out punishment. 

The commissioner confirmed Wednesday that the NBA hired a New York law firm to look into the explosive allegations against Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who was accused in a media report of enticing Leonard to sign as a free agent by granting him an out-of-whack no-show endorsement deal with a shady company. 

In the past, Silver stated such an act of cap circumvention was “a cardinal sin.” He added Wednesday that he has broad powers to levy fines, suspend personnel and strip away draft picks if the Clippers are found guilty. However, Silver cautioned that it would be unfair to assume, and the league needs more than circumstantial evidence. 

“I would be reluctant to act if there was a mere appearance of impropriety. I think the goal of a full investigation is to find if there really was impropriety,” Silver said. “Because also in a public-facing sport, the public at times reaches conclusions that later turn out to be completely false. I would want anybody else who is in the situation Mr. Ballmer is in right now, or Kawhi Leonard, to be treated the same way I would want to be treated if people are making allegations against me.” 

The evidence seems pretty damning. According to paperwork and sourced reporting uncovered by Pablo Torre, Leonard signed a $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration, a company that had Ballmer as an investor, despite the player never endorsing the company in any way. 

The Toronto Star then reported that Leonard’s uncle, Dennis Robertson, proposed the Raptors facilitate no-show endorsement deals in 2019 in exchange for Leonard re-signing with Toronto. The Raptors declined, according to the Toronto Star, and Leonard instead signed with the Clippers. 

Ballmer, the richest owner in the NBA, acknowledged he introduced Leonard to Aspiration, but vehemently denied knowingly circumventing the salary cap. 

“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,” the Clippers said in a statement. “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.” 

Aspiration was charged with fraud by the Justice Department. The company filed for bankruptcy in March.