NBA Investigation Could Mean One Less Concern for the Rockets in a Loaded Western Conference

Houston is competing for a championship in a loaded West, but the LA Clippers' recent investigation could hold them back from catching up to the Rockets.

Apr 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Kawhi Leonard (2) dribbles against the Houston Rockets in the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The LA Clippers have continued to dominate NBA offseason headlines late in the summer, as the league's investigation into the Kawhi Leonard signing and potential cap circumvention has carried on. What was brought into mainstream media by sports journalist Pablo Torre has turned into Adam Silver and the league launching an investigation.

Torre uncovered a now-bankrupt company, Aspiration, that was taking payments from the Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer for Leonard's no-show endorsement deal. The latest episode from Pablo Torre Finds Out reveals that the Clippers made multiple payments to Aspiration totaling $118 million from September 2021 to March 2023.

EXCLUSIVE: Two weeks before Kawhi's first "no-show" payday, the Clippers bailed out Aspiration with a $21M deal signed by the team CFO.

(Yes, @mcuban sent @PabloTorre down this rabbit hole: "He literally described exactly what they did," a source says, "to circumvent the cap.") pic.twitter.com/5lQNMLm8Or

— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) September 18, 2025

Ballmer and the Clippers have publicly denied any cap circumvention, but it isn't looking good for LA. If the NBA does conclude that the Clippers circumvented the cap and found a way to pay Leonard without any money affecting the salary cap, harsh punishment could be on the way.

Back in 2000, then-commissioner David Stern laid the hammer on the Minnesota Timberwolves for circumventing the cap to sign Joe Smith. The punishment? A fine to the team, the void of Smith's contract, a suspension to Taylor and then-GM Kevin McHale, as well as Minnesota being stripped of a staggering five first-round picks.

Silver has the opportunity to set a precedent with the Leonard-Clippers investigation if LA is found guilty. The punishment has to be severe enough that no team will even think to try circumventing the cap under the table. This could have a ripple effect on the rest of the league.

But what do the Houston Rockets have to do with the ruling? Well, it's not so much the Rockets themselves, but the rest of a loaded Western Conference.

The Rockets and Clippers were both dubbed as offseason winners by the majority of fans and analysts. Houston managed to acquire Kevin Durant, as well as other key veterans, while LA acquired major pieces such as Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez and Chris Paul to accompany Leonard and James Harden.

The Clippers were looking like contenders in the West, but the ruling on this investigation could alter the course of the franchise. They don't have their own first-round pick until 2030, and Silver's punishment could push that year back even further. LA could be left with no other choice but to shorten its competitive window.

If the Clippers are dealt a harsh enough punishment or decide to avoid years of mediocrity, it would mean one less concern for the Rockets in a crowded conference. The majority of the West is competing for the playoffs, and Houston is one of the bigger 'what-ifs' of the league.

A team that has been put near or in the same tier as the Rockets is now in jeopardy of losing major assets. How will the league handle Leonard's contract since the signing happened back in 2019? Will the Clippers be forced to blow it up before the team embarks on a important season? The investigation will lead to these questions being answered.