Latest On NBA's Investigation Into Clippers, Kawhi Leonard

Key Points:

• The NBA is investigating whether the Clippers improperly covered expenses for Kawhi Leonard without reimbursement, as part of a probe into their agreements with Aspiration, according to sources cited by Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.
• Wachtell Lipton, the law firm leading the investigation, is also examining whether Leonard had an undisclosed endorsement deal with another company.
• The Clippers deny wrongdoing, asserting that team owner Steve Ballmer and the organization were victims of fraud by Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg, who has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.
• Some league executives increasingly believe the Clippers may face punishment from the NBA, though details on the potential violations remain unclear.
• Former Aspiration employees contested claims that Leonard’s endorsement was always intended as a no-show deal, revealing that promotional campaigns involving Leonard’s likeness, including one inspired by the Avengers character Groot, were considered but ultimately abandoned.