Charania has posted the following:

Clippers statement:

Neither the Clippers nor Steve Ballmer circumvented the salary cap. The notion that Steve invested in Aspiration in order to funnel money to Kawhi Leonard is absurd. Steve invested because Aspiration's co- founders presented themselves as committed to doing right by their customers while protecting the environment.
After a long campaign of market manipulation, which defrauded not only Steve but numerous other investors and sports teams, Aspiration filed for bankruptcy. Its co-founder, Joseph Sanberg, recently pleaded guilty to a $243 million fraud. Neither Steve nor the Clippers had knowledge of any improper activity by Aspiration or its co-founder until after the government initiated its investigation. Aspiration was a team sponsor for the 2021-2022 and 2022- 2023 seasons before defaulting on its contract.
There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing endorsement deals with players on the same team. Neither Steve nor the Clippers organization had any oversight of Kawhi's independent endorsement agreement with Aspiration. To say otherwise is flat-out wrong.
The Clippers take NBA compliance extremely seriously, fully respect the league's rules, and welcome its investigation related to Aspiration. The Clippers will also continue to cooperate with law enforcement in its investigation into Aspiration's blatantly fraudulent activity.

Source: https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3lxxugaj6i62i

Screenshot of the statement: https://imgur.com/a/zca8MsG

37 comments

  1. Ahh yes, so they were just paying Kawhi 28 million dollars to do absolutely nothing out of the kindness of their heart, I’m so sure lol

  7. You know what’s actually absurd? Believing that Aspiration paid Kawhi $28 million dollars out of the kindness of their own hearts, while including a specific clause that says the contract will be terminated the second he is not employed by the LA Clippers

  9. Hate to break it to ya, Steve, but they didn’t strike a plea deal with Sanberg a short 5 months after he was arrested and charged with a massive fraud because he was the big fish they were after lol. A for effort though

    Edit: A massive fraud with a lengthy paper trail, I might add.

  10. Sure man, that’s why it took 12 hours to release this statement. Because everything was totally normal and above board.

  12. They will be going full Manchester City and double down by hiring the best lawyer team on the planet. I don’t even know if they’ll need one, seems like they are already going all in on the “I don’t know” defense

  13. what if kawhi actually did sponsor work instead of doing nothing could they have gotten away with it?

  15. where can i get a “nothing unusual” endorsement that requires me to do nothing for the brand

  17. >There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing endorsement deals with players on the same team.

    Believe it or not, actually it kinda is unusual to pay out an endorsement deal without an endorsement by the same player that you happened to sign in a big free agency

  19. Interesting that the amount ($28 Million) was not mentioned anywhere in the statement. Curious as to how they spin that Leonard was paid that amount for a total of 0 appearances or comments in relation to Aspiration.

  20. It’s so exhausting that we live in a time where no one takes accountability and lying is seen as perfectly acceptable. Even as we, the general public, can look at something and know its total bs. We see this same shit everyday from the supposed highest office in the country. Ballmer just admit you fucked up and got found out. Take your lashings like a big boy.

  25. Hahahaha.  This statement literally admits such a staunch level of guilt it’s not even funny.  Steve “invested” in this scheme and expected zero return, just believed in the founders.  MEANWHILE his star athlete received a 28million dollar endorsement deal COMPLETELY separate from his investment.  This company, that raised nearly a billion dollars, just handed out money without accountability apparently.  Steve invested, also didn’t do any follow up on said investment.  Color me stupid I guess, they’re all just incompetent and there’s really nothing to a 1 billion dollar shell company going bankrupt.  My bad.  

  27. Remember that PTFO is owned by The Athletic now, which is owned by the New York Times. PT’s reporting has been vetted by more lawyers than you know. NYT is not about to make allegations to put them in more legal trouble, let alone hurt their reputation over this.

    This isn’t some random YouTuber making assertions and going with their gut. This is a professional journalist at a world-class news outlet.

  28. what a coincidence! Ballmer invests $50M in Aspiration, and Aspiration gives Kawhi a $28M contract that requires no endorsement obligations!

    And the Aspiration contract terminates if Kawhi is no longer a Clipper. Hmm…

  29. Clippers Statement: I would have gotten away with it too if wasn’t for that meddling kid Pablo Torre!

  30. Do you know what is absurd?

    Aspiration: Well here you go Kawhi, $28 million dollars

    Kawhi: Cool cool. So you sure you don’t want me to do anything?

    Aspiration: No no, no need. It’s all yours.

    Kawhi: You sure? I can make an Instagram post or something to promote the company

    Aspiration: No, really. It’s okay. We just ask that you just stay a Clipper.

    Kawhi: A Clipper? Why?

    Aspiration: Alright, well see you around then.

  31. Kawhi got paid $28M to do NOTHING. What company would ever agree to such a deal? And then when the doors are closing, per the finance guy, Kawhi was first inline to get paid? Someone at the clippers org is not fully innocent. Steve will likely go untouched but the clippers will face punishment.

  32. Ballmer gave 30 mill to Aspiration. In return Aspiration gave a $28 mill deal to Leonard for him to do absolutely nothing but collect $7 mill a year for 4 years. Coincides with his 4 year extension with the Clips. And the biggest caveat…. if he is no longer a Clipper the deal is void.

    It so painfully obvious what this is.

  33. This is like billionaires being able to get around limits to political donations by giving to super pacs instead, which just has to absolutely pinky promise not to coordinate with the politician directly.

  35. The Clippers statement is obvious spin/PR, but here’s some more detail on why it makes no sense. From [Pablo Torre’s full original account](https://www.pablo.show/p/the-richest-owner-the-silent-superstar) of this (encourage everyone to read the whole thing), here’s the timeline of events:

    >* August 12, 2021: Clippers announce Leonard’s four-year, $176.3 million contract extension

    >* September 14, 2021: Ballmer’s personal LLC agrees to wire $50 million investment in Aspiration, according to internal emails and a signed contract.

    >* November 22, 2021: Leonard registers company “KL2 ASPIRE LLC” with the state of California.

    >* April 1, 2022: Leonard’s four-year, $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration to take effect.

    >By 2022, according to financial documents and the seven former employees, Aspiration was traveling quickly down the road toward bankruptcy.

    So the Clippers are trying to claim that Ballmer investing in Aspiration and Kawhi’s endorsement deal are two separate unrelated events, when Ballmer wired the $50 million to Aspiration just two months before Kawhi registered his KL2 ASPIRE LLC for the purpose of receiving the payments from Aspiration.

  36. Steve. It doesn’t matter what your intent was. Or theirs.

    They could be the crookiest crooks who ever crooked. Your money still went to them, and then went to Kawhi.

    Toronto flagged this back when it happened. This lie lasted this long because the rich don’t typically sell each other out. Otherwise Toronto might have made a lot more noise.

  37. That’s cool and all, but can they explain why Aspiration paid Kawhi $28m to do fuck all other than be a Clipper?

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