The ongoing controversy involving NBA star Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers` owner, Steve Ballmer, has seen new developments. Ballmer and the Clippers previously denied accusations of salary cap evasion, asserting that Ballmer was misled into an investment with Aspiration, a company that allegedly compensated Leonard for a “no-show” endorsement deal. However, recent revelations are casting significant doubt on Ballmer`s claim of being unaware.
According to a report on Pablo Torre`s podcast, `Pablo Torre Finds Out,` Steve Ballmer`s philanthropic activities included a substantial $1.875 million grant in December 2024. This grant was directed to the Golden State Opportunity Foundation, an organization focused on combating poverty in California, and notably linked to Joseph Sanberg, co-founder of Aspiration. Crucially, this donation occurred more than a year after the Clippers publicly stated they had ended their association with Aspiration.
A former Aspiration employee, who spoke on Torre`s podcast, highlighted the profound inconsistency between the timing of this grant and Ballmer`s previous statements. The employee found it:
“Inconceivable to me to be both hoodwinked and bamboozled but yet continuously giving money to Joe Sanberg. It does not make any iota of sense to invest in 2021, contribute nearly $100 million in carbon offset prepurchases, reinvest in the 2022-23 round, claim all that to be lost in 2023 and then come back for more in 2024 via charitable donation.”
At the core of the contentious relationship among Ballmer, Leonard, the Clippers, and Aspiration is the allegation that the company served as a conduit to pay Leonard, thereby circumventing NBA salary cap regulations. Reports indicate Ballmer invested $50 million in Aspiration, while the company allegedly owed Leonard a roughly equivalent sum for supposed “no-show” roles.
Both Ballmer and the Clippers have consistently refuted any salary cap circumvention scheme. They maintained that some investments were intended for carbon credits to offset emissions from their arena, the Intuit Dome, and that Ballmer`s other investments in Aspiration were entirely unrelated to the Clippers organization.
Aspiration itself became the subject of a federal investigation for allegedly defrauding investors, with Ballmer positioning himself as one of the victims. Yet, the timing of his initial investments—and now, the timing of the grant to Aspiration`s co-founder`s foundation—raises serious questions about the validity of his defense. These financial actions reportedly transpired after the federal investigation had commenced and after Aspiration`s financial troubles were already in the public domain.
This recent grant from Ballmer to the Golden State Opportunity Foundation could serve as a vital piece of evidence for the NBA`s ongoing inquiry into whether the Clippers violated salary cap rules. The implication of an apparent ongoing relationship between Ballmer and Sanberg could suggest the Clippers were involved in questionable financial practices designed to benefit Leonard.
