NBA’s Investigation Into Salary Cap Circumvention by Clippers and Kawhi Leonard Could Extend to 2027
The NBA’s investigation into allegations of salary cap circumvention by the L.A. Clippers and Kawhi Leonard could extend to 2027 if there is no agreement on the findings of any proposed settlement that involves punishing the team. The wait could affect the Clippers’ proposed trade to send Leonard to the Raptors, which was announced as on hold on July 9.
Los Angeles based reporter and journalist Baxter Holmes has been diligently investigating all aspects and developments regarding this situation. Including recent hearings and NBA investigation led interviews. He shares some of his findings by stating,
“Joseph Sanberg, co-founder of green-banking company Aspiration and charged with defrauding investors out of $248M, was just sentenced to 14 years in prison. Aspiration is at the center of an NBA investigation into the Clippers for salary cap circumvention.
Judge Stephen V Wilson called Sanberg’s fraud “among the worst I’ve ever seen.” He added that Sanberg “hurt a lot of people” and “became greedy, brazen, callous” and “entangled in a web of lies” that continued for years.
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, his uncle Dennis Robertson & Clippers owner Steve Ballmer have been interviewed by NBA investigators amid the league’s probe into allegations the team circumvented the salary cap to compensate Leonard. The NBA investigation into whether the LA Clippers circumvented the salary cap to pay Kawhi Leonard could drag into 2027 if the parties don’t agree on the findings or any proposed settlement that involves punishing the team, sources tell ESPN.”
The NBA’s investigation process had seemed to be moving along. NBA commissioner Adam Silver had told the media he hoped things would conclude this summer. He stated,
“This [investigation] needs to be wrapped up before the beginning of next season,” Silver said while addressing reporters after a meeting of the NBA’s board of governors. “It’s going on longer than I would have hoped, there’s no question about that.”
NBA’s Investigation Into Salary Cap Circumvention by Clippers and Kawhi Leonard Could Extend to 2027
But now the league has expressed there is a possibility that things do not wrap up as quickly as expected. This story has picked up steam since January (2026) when attorneys representing Steve Ballmer initially sought to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that the Clippers owner funneled money to star Kawhi Leonard through Aspiration, calling the allegations “sensational” and “patently false,” according to court documents.
Nonetheless, around mid-July LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer again met with Wachtell Lipton in NYC. A plethora of sources revealed that they expected this meeting to be one of the last steps in the investigation. However, we shall see. Silver said that the league’s general counsel continues to receive weekly updates about the investigation from the Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz law firm, but that he is not yet aware of the firm’s conclusions because its “report is not done.”
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