Kawhi Leonard just became the most hated man in basketball

Kawhi Leonard has long maintained a reputation as a quiet, emotionless superstar—a fan-favorite for his introverted demeanor and no-nonsense playing style. That image, however, may have shielded him from the kind of criticism other stars would face. Now, that carefully crafted persona is unraveling, as allegations surface linking Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers to what may be the biggest NBA scandal of the modern era.

Under-the-Table Payments and Circumventing the Cap

The controversy erupted after journalist Pablo Torre published an investigation alleging that Kawhi Leonard received under-the-table payments through a shell company, KL2 Aspire, which received millions from a Clippers sponsor, Aspiration. Torre revealed that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer had personally invested in Aspiration—raising serious questions about whether the team had circumvented the NBA’s salary cap to offer Leonard illegal compensation.

Further scrutiny came when Mark Cuban, former Mavericks owner, rushed to defend Ballmer. This sparked speculation that Cuban might have had his own secret deals in the past, especially considering the bizarre contract Dirk Nowitzki signed in 2014—turning down nearly $100 million from other teams to stay in Dallas for just $25 million. At the time, some joked he was getting compensated “off the books.” Now, in light of the Clippers scandal, those jokes may not seem so funny.

Past Investigations and Shady Recruitment Tactics

This isn’t Kawhi Leonard’s first brush with NBA investigations. Since joining the Clippers in 2019, there have been at least three separate probes involving his recruitment. One involved former Clippers consultant Jerry West, who was sued by Johnny Wilkes, a self-proclaimed associate of Kawhi and his uncle, Dennis Robertson. Wilkes claimed he shared confidential recruiting information and was promised $2.5 million in return—money he says he never received.

Other teams have long suspected that the Clippers illegally tampered during Leonard’s free agency, but no substantial punishments ever came of it—just small fines. Many across the league now feel it’s time the NBA took real action.

Astronomical Requests and Hidden Deals

The 2019 offseason now looks even more suspicious in hindsight. At the time, both the Raptors and Lakers were pursuing Leonard, and they reportedly backed out after what they called “unreasonable demands.” Thanks to recent revelations, we now know what those were: part ownership of the team, a private jet, a house, and guaranteed endorsement deals—all illegal under NBA rules.

Such demands from any player, let alone someone not considered the face of the league, were seen as absurd. While many pointed fingers at Uncle Dennis for making those demands, it’s clear that Kawhi himself was involved and never shut them down.

Load Management or Payment Leverage?

Leonard’s notorious habit of sitting out games—often labeled as “load management”—is now under new scrutiny. Torre’s expanded investigation found a disturbing pattern: Kawhi often sat out games while waiting for payments from Aspiration, and returned to play once the funds arrived.

For example, at the start of the 2022–23 season, Leonard missed 20 of the team’s first 27 games. Why? Aspiration was late in sending his $1.75 million payment. Once a $2 million investment came through—courtesy of Dennis Wong, Clippers minority owner and Ballmer’s close friend—Kawhi suddenly returned to the court. This wasn’t a one-time occurrence; it happened multiple times over the course of three years.

Mounting Pressure on Adam Silver

As evidence continues to surface, pressure is building on NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to act decisively. Despite initially claiming ignorance, Silver was later revealed to have known about Aspiration’s involvement with the Clippers. Meanwhile, Aspiration’s co-founder Andre Sherry also claimed to be unaware of the payments to Kawhi, but documents show he personally executed the deal, even as other executives objected to the cost and lack of alignment with their brand strategy.

The scandal has become too big to ignore. Executives from multiple teams have now demanded severe punishment, including the possibility of:

Voiding Leonard’s contract

Removing him from the Clippers’ roster

Still keeping his salary cap hit in place

Forcing Steve Ballmer to sell the team

Some even threatened to create their own shell companies to match the Clippers’ illegal tactics if nothing is done.

What Happens Next?

So far, Leonard’s stint with the Clippers has been underwhelming. He’s often injured, rarely plays full seasons, and the team hasn’t won anything of significance. For many, the biggest irony is that all this corruption seemingly got them nowhere. Yet, the implications of the scandal stretch far beyond win-loss records.

The NBA now faces a pivotal moment. Should it punish one of its biggest stars? Should it go after its wealthiest owner? If the allegations are true, the integrity of the league is at stake.

And most importantly—will they finally hold someone accountable?