“They Deceived Me" - Clippers Owner Makes Big Claim Amid NBA's Federal Fraud Investigation on Kawhi Leonard and Franchise

The Clippers owner now claims to have been “deceived” by Aspiration.

“They Deceived Me - Clippers Owner Makes Big Claim Amid NBA's Federal Fraud Investigation on Kawhi Leonard and Franchise

Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer sits courtside before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at Intuit Dome.

This week, the Los Angeles Clippers and their owner, Steve Ballmer, were the subject of a major controversy. This is because sports journalist Pablo Torre released documents about a possible illegal agreement between Kawhi Leonard and Aspiration, a company in which Ballmer was an investor. The Clippers owner denies the allegations and now claims to have been “deceived” by Aspiration.

Also Read: Stephen A. Smith Reacts to Steve Ballmer’s Comments, Opines Alleged ‘No-Show’ Report is Credible!

Steve Ballmer Says He Was ‘Deceived’ by Company that Made a Deal with Kawhi Leonard

“These guys committed fraud,” Ballmer told ESPN on Friday. “Look, they deceived me. They misled me. I made an investment in these guys thinking it was legitimate, and they misled me on that point. I have no way of predicting why they might have done any of the things they did, much less the specific contract with Kawhi.”

Aspiration, a Ballmer-backed startup, allegedly paid Kawhi Leonard $28M in a “no-show” deal, but Ballmer insists it was a normal sponsorship and is unaware of how much Leonard was being paid.

(🎥: @espn) pic.twitter.com/XbEV8Kzs3d

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) September 5, 2025

The company is the target of a federal fraud investigation and was a sponsor of the Clippers for two seasons, 2021-22 and 2022-23. However, Ballmer claims he was cheated out of his payments by Aspiration, which shortly after filed for bankruptcy, and that he was unaware of the alleged $28 million deal with Kawhi. Therefore, he says he supports an NBA investigation, which is expected to begin soon.

“The rules against salary cap cheating are important to the league, and I would like the league to investigate,” Ballmer said.

The franchise could face mild penalties if Ballmer and the Clippers’ involvement in the deal is proven. They can also face the loss of multiple draft picks and suspensions. In fact, according to a new report, Kawhi reportedly received an additional $20 million in company stock.

Exclusive: Kawhi Leonard signed a $28M endorsement deal for a “no-show job” with a fraudulent tree-planting company funded by $50M from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, according to documents obtained by @PabloTorre.

“It was to circumvent the salary cap,” an inside source says. pic.twitter.com/F6z5pNEkI1

— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) September 3, 2025

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles franchise posted a statement vehemently denying the allegations. The team claimed that “There is nothing unusual or inappropriate about team sponsors entering into endorsement deals with players on the same team. Neither Steve [Ballmer] nor the Clippers organization had any oversight over Kawhi’s independent endorsement deal with Aspiration .

According to Ballmer, Aspiration reached out to Kawhi two months after the forward signed a four-year extension with the Clippers in 2021.

Mark Cuban, former owner of the Dallas Mavericks, defended the Clippers’ owner, commenting that Ballmer wouldn’t be “that stupid.” According to Cuban, if he were circumventing the salary cap through Aspiration, Ballmer would never have let the company go bankrupt, which drew a lot of attention.

Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Gulshan Sharma

Gulshan Sharma is a passionate writer with a love for storytelling. With a keen interest in Sports Journalism, he aim to craft engaging and thought-provoking content that resonates with readers.