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Pablo Torre’s Pulitzer Prize for audio reporting returns the spotlight back to his award-winning work: Did the Clippers circumvent the NBA salary cap by funneling money to star Kawhi Leonard through a third-party company where owner Steve Ballmer was an investor?
According to the investigation by the team at Pablo Torre Finds Out, the now-defunct company Aspiration signed Leonard to a no-show, four-year, $28 million marketing deal. The Clippers owner had previously invested $50 million in Aspiration in 2021. The Clippers also signed a $300 million sponsorship deal with the company, which went out of business after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2025.
“This is the defining scandal of Adam Silver’s tenure as commissioner,” Torre told Front Office Sports in September 2025.
The question now is: What happens next with the Aspiration story?
Ballmer has denied any knowledge of the $28 million endorsement deal between Leonard and Aspiration. In fact, Ballmer said he was “conned” by Aspiration—and ended up losing his entire $60 million investment.
Similarly, Leonard has denied any wrongdoing. The seven-time All-Star told the media he “invites” an NBA probe into the matter.
The NBA announced an investigation led by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, which the league has historically used for its biggest probes. But the regular season came and went without a ruling, as the investigation continues.
An NBA spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to the league’s CBA, the Clippers could face penalties including fines, the forfeiture of draft picks, and/or the voiding of Leonard’s contract if it’s determined that the team circumvented the salary cap.
During an interview at FOS’s Tuned In last September, Silver vowed to “get to the bottom” of the story.
“I’m a lawyer. I believe in due process. I believe in fairness,” Silver told FOS editor-in-chief Dan Roberts. “We will be thorough, but we will begin with a presumption of innocence, not a presumption of guilt, which is what I keep reading about. Then we will follow the facts.”
Either way, the Clippers-Aspiration saga could result in changes to how players are compensated by third parties, the commissioner added.
“When this concludes, we’ll take a fresh look at our rules in terms of companies that players are investing in and owners,” said Silver. “We have rules now. We have lines. But there’s not a complete prohibition.”
At this point, it’s unclear when the NBA’s investigation will be completed, and a ruling on a potential punishment will be made. Torre’s Pulitzer—an award that has historically factored in the reporting’s impact as a qualification—has, however, thrust the story back into the spotlight as we await its ultimate effect on the Clippers, Leonard, and the NBA.
—Alex Schiffer contributed to this story.
