"INGLEWOOD -- Kawhi Leonard said that he doesn't "think it's accurate" that he performed no actual services for Aspiration, the now-bankrupt green banking company and LA Clippers team sponsor that he signed a lucrative endorsement contract with. "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."
"The NBA has launched an investigation into whether owner Steve Ballmer and the Clippers 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 did introduce 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 ever Western Conference finals run."
Kawhi Leonard denied that he performed no services for Aspiration and said he understood the contract and the services he was required to provide. He rejected conspiracies and clickbait analysis and noted the company later went bankrupt. The NBA opened an investigation into whether owner Steve Ballmer and minority owner Dennis Wong violated league rules or circumvented the salary cap because both invested in Aspiration. Ballmer said he introduced Leonard to Aspiration in November 2021, after the Clippers agreed to Leonard's four-year, $173 million extension. Aspiration had a $300 million partnership with the Clippers including arena and jersey-patch sponsorships. NBA rules allow introductions but bar involvement in subsequent negotiations. Ballmer said he did not know details of Leonard's endorsement contract.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]