The Los Angeles Clippers said owner Steve Ballmer was “duped” in light of new reporting showing the team and its executives funneled a total of $118 million to a now-bankrupt “green” financial services company called Aspiration that is the focus of the NBA’s investigation around Kawhi Leonard’s alleged “no-show” endorsement deal.
In an episode of his “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast that published Thursday, Sept.18, investigative sports reporter Pablo Torre published previously unreported documents that showed the paper trail of the money being wired. The payments spanned from September 2021 through March 2023 and came in the form of investments and payments for carbon credits.
Advertisement
The purchase of carbon credits was actually something Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban brought up in a social media post on Friday, Sept, 12, when referencing the NBA investigation that the Clippers circumvented the salary cap through the alleged “no-show” endorsement deal with Leonard.
Essentially, because carbon offset purchases would infuse cash into the company at a very high margin, the appearance of a business expense would shield any potential impropriety the Clippers would be conducting.
“I bring this up because it would have been a lot easier and a lot safer, if he was trying to circumvent the CBA to just buy more carbon credits,” Cuban wrote in the post.
1 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2025: Oklahoma City Thunder (beat Indiana Pacers in seven games)
1 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2025: Oklahoma City Thunder (beat Indiana Pacers in seven games)
2 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2024: Boston Celtics (beat Dallas Mavericks in five games)
3 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2023: Denver Nuggets (beat Miami Heat in five games)
4 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2022: Golden State Warriors (beat Boston Celtics in six games)
5 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2021: Milwaukee Bucks (beat Phoenix Suns in six games)
6 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2020: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Miami Heat in six games)
7 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2019: Toronto Raptors (beat Golden State Warriors in six games)
8 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2018: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in four games)
9 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2017: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in five games)
10 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2016: Cleveland Cavaliers (beat Golden State Warriors in seven games)
11 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2015: Golden State Warriors (beat Cleveland Cavaliers in six games)
12 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2014: San Antonio Spurs (beat Miami Heat in five games)
13 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2013: Miami Heat (beat San Antonio Spurs in seven games)
14 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2012: Miami Heat (beat Oklahoma City Thunder in five games)
15 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2008: Boston Celtics (beat Los Angeles Lakers in six games)
16 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2005: San Antonio Spurs (beat Detroit Pistons in seven games)
17 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2004: Detroit Pistons (beat Los Angeles Lakers in five games)
18 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2003: San Antonio Spurs (beat New Jersey Nets in six games)
19 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2002: Los Angeles Lakers (beat New Jersey Nets in four games)
20 / 32
NBA champions through the years
2001: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Philadelphia 76ers in five games)
21 / 32
NBA champions through the years
1999: San Antonio Spurs (beat New York Knicks five games)
22 / 32
NBA champions through the years
1997: Chicago Bulls (beat Utah Jazz in six games)
23 / 32
NBA champions through the years
1996: Chicago Bulls (beat Seattle SuperSonics in six games)
24 / 32
NBA champions through the years
1995: Houston Rockets (beat Orlando Magic in four games)
25 / 32
NBA champions through the years
1994: Houston Rockets (beat New York Knicks in seven games)
26 / 32
NBA champions through the years
1993: Chicago Bulls (beat Phoenix Suns in six games)
27 / 32
NBA champions through the years
1992: Chicago Bulls (beat Portland Trail Blazers in six games)
28 / 32
NBA champions through the years
1991: Chicago Bulls beat Los Angeles Lakers in five games.
29 / 32
NBA champions through the years
1990: Detroit Pistons (beat Portland Trail Blazers in five games)
30 / 32
NBA champions through the years
1989: Detroit Pistons (beat Los Angeles Lakers in four games)
31 / 32
NBA champions through the years
1988: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Detroit Pistons in seven games)
32 / 32
NBA champions through the years
1987: Los Angeles Lakers (beat Boston Celtics in six games)
Torre published a document from Tuesday, June 14, 2022, with Clippers letterhead at the top. That document is confirmation of a payment made to Aspiration for $20.96 million “used to fund … carbon projects.” The document is signed by the chief financial officer of the Clippers.
Advertisement
Torre asked a former senior executive in Aspiration’s finance department, who was interviewed using a voice modifier, about the payments in carbon offsets.
“Literally (Cuban) described one of the few ways that the Clippers and Ballmer got money into Aspiration,” the person said. “He literally described exactly what they did. So I think he’s completely correct that that would be one of the avenues to circumvent the cap.”
The NBA has contracted the New York-based law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz – which it has used in the past for other investigations – to lead the inquiry into the Clippers and Leonard.
“Steve and his family are focused on sustainability, which is why Intuit Dome was designed to be a carbon neutral building from its inception and to achieve LEED Zero status over time,” the Clippers said in a Thursday, Sept. 18 statement responding to the carbon offset purchases.
Advertisement
The team went on to say that its “development agreements for the arena included mandates to buy carbon credits,” but that the Clippers “went far beyond those requirements” and sought to buy carbon offsets from Aspiration.
“Some of those commitments were built into the sponsorship deal with Aspiration — totally separate of the investment in the company — and we made payments to Aspiration until the company was unable to fulfill their responsibilities,” the statement continues.
“This effort reflects Steve wanting to set a positive example and raise awareness of the growing and important role of voluntary carbon markets. Unfortunately, he was duped on the investment and on some parts of this agreement, as were many other investors and employees.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kawhi Leonard NBA case: Clippers owner Steve Ballmer says he was duped