Kawhi Leonard says allegations of no-show deal not accurate - ESPN

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Kawhi Leonard said that he doesn't «think it's accurate» that he performed no services for Aspiration, the now-bankrupt green banking company and LA Clippers team sponsor with which he signed a lucrative endorsement contract.

«I understand the full contract and the services that I had to do. I don't deal with the conspiracies or the clickbait analysts or journalism that's going on,» Leonard said Monday in his first public comments about the scandal, first reported by the «Pablo Torre Finds Out» podcast.

Asked specifically by ESPN if he ever performed services for what Torre reported was a four-year, $28 million contract, Leonard said, «I don't think it's accurate. But it's old. This is all new to you guys. The company went bankrupt a while ago.»

The NBA has launched an investigation into whether Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and the team violated league rules or circumvented the league's salary cap because Ballmer and minority owner Dennis Wong were both investors in the company.

Earlier this month, Ballmer told ESPN that he introduced Leonard and Aspiration in November of 2021, three months after the Clippers had agreed to a four-year, $173 million extension with Leonard, who had torn a knee ligament during the team's first Western Conference finals run.

Two months earlier, in September 2021, the Clippers announced a $300 million partnership with Aspiration, which included sponsorship in the team's new arena and on its jersey patch.

NBA rules do not prohibit teams from introducing team sponsors or companies to players. But teams can't be involved in subsequent negotiations.

Ballmer told ESPN that he did not know the details of the endorsement contract that Leonard agreed to with Aspiration. The Boston