The NBA is officially looking into allegations that Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard was tied to a $28 million “no-show job” with a financial company.
“We are aware of this morning’s media report regarding the LA Clippers and are commencing an investigation,” league spokesman Mike Bass told ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday.
The development comes after journalist Pablo Torre revealed on his podcast that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer may have funneled millions to Leonard through Aspiration, a financial company where Leonard was listed as an endorser. A former Aspiration employee alleged the payments were a way to skirt salary cap rules. The Clippers, however, have denied any wrongdoing in a statement.
Still, the allegations have sparked a storm of online reaction. People (formerly Twitter) flooded timelines with memes comparing Leonard’s situation to The Sopranos, the HBO series where mobsters often held “no-show jobs” as part of their criminal operations.
The league has not provided a timeline for its investigation, but the outcome could carry serious implications for Leonard, Ballmer, and the Clippers if violations are found.
Torre also hinted the matter might extend beyond Los Angeles. During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, he suggested that speculation from his tip line had even referenced New York Knicks captain Jalen Brunson, whose recent contract extension was one of the most team-friendly deals in recent NBA memory.
“How we arrived at the Knicks, this is where I will have to defer to the reporting I may or may not do on this,” Torre said when pressed. “Certainly was interesting, like okay, that’s a pretty good deal for the Knicks … anyway, I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”