The Clippers lost their play-in game to the Warriors on Wednesday night, and Leonard spoke afterward.
The Los Angeles Clippers' season is over. They fell 126-121 to the Golden State Warriors in Wednesday's play-in game at Intuit Dome, ending a remarkable turnaround that saw this team climb from 6-21 to 42-40 over the course of the year. In the aftermath, the questions for Kawhi Leonard didn't stay on the basketball for long.
The Aspiration investigation came up, as it always does. The probe began in September 2025 and centers on allegations that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer orchestrated a $28 million deal between Leonard and Aspiration, a now-bankrupt green banking company, to funnel money to Leonard and circumvent the salary cap.
Commissioner Adam Silver has described the investigation as 'enormously complex.' Seven months in, no formal findings or penalties have been announced. Leonard was asked when the last time he thought about it was, and whether he expects any kind of resolution. His answer was vintage Kawhi.
"I'm not sure, I never thought about it too much other than questions asked," Leonard said. "You'd have to ask the NBA, not me. I'm not the one doing the investigation. When pressed on how important a resolution was to him personally, he kept the same energy.
Apr 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) is defended by Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis (7), guard Brandin Podziemski (2) and guard Stephen Curry (30) in the first half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesLeonard Has Addressed This Before
"I think that we're gonna be in the clear, like I told you before," Leonard said. "So it's no amount of stress."
This isn't the first time Kawhi has been asked about Aspiration this season, and his answers have been remarkably consistent throughout. He doesn't engage with it emotionally, he doesn't speculate about outcomes, and he doesn't point fingers. He redirects to the NBA and moves on.
Whether that composure is genuine confidence in the outcome or just Leonard being Kawhi is hard to say. It's probably both on some level. The investigation remains active heading into the offseason with no set timeline for conclusions.
Potential penalties the league could impose include stripping the Clippers of draft picks or voiding Leonard's contract entirely and making him an unrestricted free agent. A civil lawsuit filed by former Aspiration investors is also scheduled for a hearing on April 22 at Los Angeles County Superior Court.
A Season That Deserved a Better Ending
All of that noise existed in the background of a season where Leonard played 66 games, his second most since 2016-17, and averaged 27.9 points per game, the best scoring average of his career. The Clippers were plus-7.8 per 100 possessions with him on the floor and minus-6.9 with him off it.
Wednesday's loss stung because it was winnable. Leonard finished with 21 points but managed just one made shot over the final 16 minutes, with Draymond Green smothering him in half-court matchups. The Clippers couldn't find another answer offensively down the stretch and it cost them.
As for what comes next with Leonard, he wasn't ready to go there Wednesday either. He's entering the final year of his three-year, $149.5 million extension, with $50.3 million on the books for 2026-27. An extension window opens after the NBA Finals.
"Let me cry about this loss a little bit more," Leonard said. "We'll have our discussions when that time comes."