The Los Angeles Clippers are still under investigation after allegations that they used a sponsorship program with Kawhi Leonard to circumvent the salary cap.

The investigation has been ongoing since September 2025, and though it was reported by ESPN that the NBA found no evidence that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer funneled money to Leonard through team sponsorship, the NBA has not wrapped up the investigation.

ESPN reported that the league and the Clippers are now discussing "a resolution to the investigation.”

The NBA published a statement saying, "ESPN's article regarding the LA Clippers investigation — for which the NBA declined to cooperate — contains numerous and significant inaccuracies. The results in this matter will be made clear once the investigation is concluded."

The NBA is reportedly still looking into whether the Clippers violated rules by introducing Leonard to sponsors and whether the team failed to supervise its employees.

Appearing on the NBA on NBC, reporter Chris Mannix weighed in on the situation, saying that he was told by several high-ranking team officials that if the Clippers are given a “slap on the wrist” then it would be “open season” on teams trying something similar.

“If the worst punishment you get for cap circumvention is a fine and maybe docked a couple of second-round picks, then the risk is worth the reward of potentially landing a marquee player like Kawhi Leonard,” he said.

Ballmer and the Clippers were accused of using team sponsor Aspiration as a means to pay Leonard additional funds to circumvent the salary cap when Leonard signed as a free agent in 2019.

Leonard was reportedly paid $28 million for his “no-show job” on top of the three-year, $103.1 million contract he signed in the offseason.

If the Clippers only lose money and second-round picks, it’s reasonable to think that other teams might try to circumvent the cap by trying something similar, though the future punishment might be much harsher, especially if there is more concrete evidence against another team doing it.

Ballmer is one of the richest owners in the league and won’t be fazed by having to give up more money unless it’s the price of a team.

Teams exchange second-round picks like candy, and while they are valuable, no team is batting an eye over losing draft picks if it means landing a player on the level of Kawhi Leonard.

But if the league truly finds no evidence of salary cap circumvention, they can’t punish the Clippers for a crime they didn’t commit.