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LA Clippers' Expected Punishment Amid Kawhi Leonard Investigation

Are other NBA teams expecting a big punishment for the Clippers?
Grant Mona|
May 3, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) warms up before the game against the Denver Nuggets during game seven of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
May 3, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) warms up before the game against the Denver Nuggets during game seven of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Clippers

The ongoing investigation involving Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard, the team, and now-bankrupt company, "Aspiration," comes with a significant amount of speculation, analysis, and overall confusion.

A result is not expected any time soon, but as the days and weeks grow, more information and expertise could help determine how the league feels it should punish the Clippers, if at all.

The original reporting by Pablo Torre of "Pablo Torre Finds Out" states that Leonard's company, KL2 Aspire LLC, signed a four-year, $28 million "no-show" endorsement deal with Aspiration.

The internal source that Torre had on the show claims that the deal was to "circumvent the salary cap," which is very much against league rules.

Of course, outcry and public reaction were immediately spread across media and the internet, with part-owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, even doing a podcast with Pablo Torre defending Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.

But, what do the other NBA teams actually think will happen?

Bobby Marks Reveals Team's Thinking

In a segment on ESPN's "NBA Today," insider Bobby Marks revealed the feelings that teams across the NBA are relaying to him.

"Yeah, think the fans how they should be walking away is that this is going to be a waiting game here," Marks said. "I think that what they should, which realize that do not jump to conclusions on here. What is the smoking gun?

"I know in the CBA could be circumstantial evidence here, but I think the league would go down a slippery slope if we're going that way, because I think you can find a lot of teams who have maybe violated the salary cap based on circumstantial evidence with it with regards to the Clippers here."

Of course, the expectation has been that the Clippers will receive some form of punishment, but Marks believes otherwise.

"This is just from talking to teams, the teams I've talked to, they're not expecting a penalty here, a significant penalty of anything, just because they realize how significant salary cap circumvention is. anything, do we maybe see a rule in place where the league takes up uh a more of a understanding as far as betting what contracts players signed with sponsorship uh agreements that are related with teams?"

With the NBA's investigation just beginning and the season starting in October, a resolution for the situation does not appear to be coming anytime soon.

With Adam Silver's comments on the matter at the NBA Board of Governors meeting being stale and without much substance, it looks like this could drag into the middle of the season, possibly even longer.

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Grant Mona
GRANT MONA

Grant Mona is a multimedia sports journalist based in Los Angeles, covering multiple teams. He is a co-host and producer on The Sporting Tribune Today on The BET Las Vegas, KIRN 670 in Southern California and the Hawaii Sports Radio Network. He formerly played baseball with the University of the Pacific Tigers.

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