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The NBA's investigation into potential salary cap circumvention by the Los Angeles Clippers has taken a new turn with the revelation of an undisclosed sponsorship deal involving star player Kawhi Leonard. According to investigative journalist Pablo Torre, Leonard had a hidden multi-million-dollar sponsorship agreement with Daktronics, the company responsible for the Clippers' state-of-the-art scoreboard at the Intuit Dome. Torre's podcast, "Pablo Torre Finds Out," cited a "high-level" source who claimed the deal was designed to pay Leonard under the table, thereby avoiding salary cap penalties.
A spokesperson for Daktronics, a South Dakota-based company, stated that Leonard does not currently have an active contract with them. However, the NBA's probe into Leonard's promotional deal with Aspiration, a now-defunct green banking company, continues. Aspiration's co-founder, Joseph Sanberg, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for fraud.
The Clippers have denied any wrongdoing and are cooperating with the investigation led by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. The ongoing probe, which began last fall, has delayed a trade that would have sent Leonard back to the Toronto Raptors. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver emphasized the need for the investigation to conclude before the next season, with potential consequences including fines, loss of draft picks, and voiding Leonard's contract if violations are found.