NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
The Clippers of Los Angeles and the owner Steve Ballmer are accused of having given the star striker Kawhi Leonard $ 28 million for a “non-presentation work” to bypass the league wage ceiling.
Sports journalist Pablo Torre detailed his accusations on the last edition of “Pablo Torre Dissets Out”, which had quotes from direct legal documents throughout. Torre says that Leonard was paid the $ 28 million via Apsiration, a trees planting service that is now bankrupt.
The aspiration has concluded a legal agreement of $ 28 million with KL2 Aspire, LLC de Leonard. Torre accuses Ballmer of having paid Leonard more than his current contract, which would go against the rules of the NBA.
CLICK HERE for more sports cover on Foxnews.com
Los Angeles Clippers striker Kawhi Leonard, watches in the second half of a basketball match in the NBA against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday January 4, 2025 in Los Angeles. (AP photo / Jayne-Kamin-Ocea)
A clause within the framework of the legal agreement between the two companies said that Leonard had the opportunity to “refuse to continue any desired action by the company”, which would essentially pay it without having to do anything.
Torre never found proof that Leonard has marketed or approved the company.
Even more revealing was that Torre found a clause which indicated that Leonard would only be paid the $ 28 million if he remained a member of the Clippers.
Bradley Beal reveals the motivation behind leaving the sun in favor of the mowers
Torre said he had spoken with former contracts for the contract, and one of them had agreed to be questioned with a voice modifier. The employee said that the agreement between aspiration and Leonard was made to “get around the salary ceiling”.
Kawhi Leonard # 2 of the Clippers draws a franc in the match in the first match of the first game of the NBA 2023 qualifiers on April 16, 2023, at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Barry Gossage / NBAE via Getty Images)
“Neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers bypassing the salary ceiling or engaged in a foul related to the aspiration. Any otherwise affirmation is proven to be false,” the clippers said in a statement in Torre.
The contact of the aspiration to KL2 Aspire LLC was also made via Dennis Robertson, advisor to Leonard who has a history of NBA investigations. Robertson was under investigation in 2019 for having asked for inadmissible services, although the League found “Uncle Dennis” not guilty of the Clippers granting illegal advantages to his client while they pursued him by free will.
“We are aware of the media report this morning concerning the clippers of the and starts an investigation,” said NBA spokesperson Mike Bass in ESPN.
PK Press Club Digital contacted a Leonard representative to comment.
Leonard was a highly sought-after free agent that year, and he was surprised that he chose the clippers for a $ 104 million contract over three years.
The Clippers would prolong Leonard in 2021 with a contract of $ 176 million over four years, and they continued to keep it in place in 2024, issuing an extension of $ 149 million over three years.
The owner of Los Angeles Clippers, Steve Ballmer, is accused of having tried to bypass the NBA salary ceiling with a payment of $ 28 million in Kawhi Leonard. (Imagn)
The 33-year-old NBA double NBA champion only played 37 games last season for Los Angeles, when he treated an inflammation of the right knee which exploded while participating in the camp of the United States national team before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
