Kawhi Leonard breaks his silence.
The NBA wrapped its investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, and owner Steve Ballmer over allegations of salary cap circumvention.
All parties in the matter were punished, with the Clippers being docked five first-round picks, Ballmer being fined $30 million, and Kawhi being forced to pay $700,000 in restitution.
Clippers executives Lawrence Frank and Gillian Zucker were also suspended without pay.
The investigation had been going on for nearly a year, stemming from a report by Pablo Torre in September 2025, who accused Leonard of accepting a $28 million no-show contract with Aspiration that was arranged by the Clippers and Ballmer.
The deal with Aspiration dates back to 2019 when Kawhi originally signed with the team as an unrestricted free agent.
Kawhi Leonard Issues A Statement
The league ruled that Kawhi had to pay in restitution for improper benefits by the Clippers for his uncle and former business representative, Dennis Robertson.
Robertson was fired by Kawhi in June. He is banned by the NBA from all business dealings.
Kawhi issued the following statement:
"Integrity and respect for this game are fundamental to who 1 am. I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family.
I entered into my contract with the Clippers as well as the agreements in question in good faith, fully committed to fulfilling my obligations and with no knowledge of any intent on anyone's part to circumvent the salary cap.
For 15 years, my priority has been giving everything to my family, the game, and those / share the court with. As I return to Toronto, 1 am focused on what I can control, closing this chapter, and moving forward with a clean slate.”
What’s Next?
Now that the investigation has concluded, the trade in place with the Toronto Raptors can be completed, assuming all parties are still willing to do the deal.
The deal was announced in July, but was on hold as the league stated that the Raptors would assume all responsibility as the investigation was still ongoing, meaning if Kawhi faced suspension or his contract was voided, the Raptors would have to deal with that punishment.
The Clippers traded Kawhi in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, and a first-round pick swap in 2027.
It is unknown if they will lose those first-round picks as part of the deal.
