"The NBA vetted and approved a $300 million sponsorship deal between the LA Clippers and Aspiration in 2021, months before the green banking company signed a separate deal with star Kawhi Leonard that has triggered a salary cap-circumvention investigation by the league, multiple sources told ESPN. Two sources with direct knowledge of the arrangement said the Clippers submitted the 23-year agreement to the NBA for approval before the deal was announced in September 2021,"
"The NBA is investigating whether the Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer violated league rules by circumventing the salary cap to compensate Leonard. Following reports of the allegations, NBA commissioner Adam Silver initially said he had "never heard of the company Aspiration before," then later revised his comments to say he was "aware of the brand." The NBA does not require teams to submit all sponsorship agreements for review."
The NBA vetted and approved a $300 million sponsorship between the LA Clippers and Aspiration in 2021. The 23-year agreement was submitted to the NBA for approval before its September 2021 announcement because it contained a jersey patch component. The agreement also included signage in the team's under-construction Inglewood arena. In April 2022, Aspiration signed a separate $28 million sponsorship with Kawhi Leonard that was not subject to NBA review under the collective bargaining agreement. The league is investigating whether the Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer circumvented the salary cap to compensate Leonard. The NBA does not require submission of all sponsorships, but televised signage and jersey patches face heightened review.
Read at ESPN.com
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