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Apr 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos (15) defends Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) in the second half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome. © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Kawhi Leonard is on the move. Today, the Los Angeles Clippers traded him to the Toronto Raptors. In the last six months, the Clippers completely changed their franchise, accumulating draft picks and players.
Meanwhile, the 35-year-old Leonard returns to the team he led to their only world championship. The two-time Finals MVP will become the face of another franchise, trading in his hometown of Los Angeles for Ontario. However, in the midst of the buzz surrounding the trade, a potential dark cloud could hang over.
The Aspiration Scandal Hangs Over Kawhi Leonard as He’s Traded to Toronto
In advance of the start of free agency, Leonard will return to the Raptors. In exchange, the Clippers receive Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, one pick swap, and two second-round picks. While most of the attention focuses upon the seven-time All-Star, the specter of recent dealings in and around the Clippers still hangs overhead.
The Aspiration scandal centers around Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. Ballmer signed a sponsorship deal with Aspiration, a now-bankrupt environmental company in which he invested $50 million. Leonard signed a four-year, $28 million endorsement deal.
However, he never endorsed anything, which is the equivalent of a no-show job. Many believe that Ballmer used Aspiration to circumvent the salary cap in order to pay Leonard through his company, KL Aspire.
In September 2022, Aspiration missed Leonard’s September 2022 payment. Later that year, Aspiration received a bailout from Clippers employee Dennis Wong. Roughly two years later, Aspiration’s co-founders, Joseph Sanberg and Ibrahim AlHusseini, were placed under federal investigation for defrauding investors.
Sanberg cooperated with the league’s investigation, which aligned with allegations of salary cap subversion. Investigative journalist Pablo Torre spent extensive time documenting the scandal.
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Since then, the NBA has not announced any suspension for Leonard or punishment for the Clippers. However, that does not mean the league will not act. As of now, Leonard is a member of the Raptors in good standing. Still, questions will be raised in and around league offices if the Clippers, led by Ballmer, managed to circumvent the salary cap.
If nothing happens to Leonard, that does not mean that Ballmer is in the clear. At their disposal, the league can use a myriad of punishments. First, they can levy a substantial fine. Next, they can take a first-round draft pick. Or they can do both to show the other owners that the salary cap is not a suggestion but the rule of law in the NBA.
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