Superstar Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard made tens of millions when he joined the team in 2019. But accusations he got paid millions more for a so-called "no-show" sponsorship deal are raising questions. Elise Preston has details.

Chicago

Kawhi Leonard, star forward for the Los Angeles Clippers, is facing scrutiny over a sponsorship deal with the now-bankrupt sustainability company Aspiration. Reports allege Leonard received a $28 million endorsement and $20 million in stocks without being required to perform any promotional activities, unlike other celebrity endorsers. 

The NBA is investigating whether this arrangement, which was reportedly funded in part by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, was intended to circumvent the league's salary cap rules. Ballmer has denied any wrongdoing, stating he was unaware of any impropriety. Neither Leonard nor the Clippers have publicly commented, and both could face fines depending on the investigation's outcome.

Kawhi Leonard sponsorship deal raises questions over NBA salary cap rules

Superstar L.A. Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard made an estimated $32 million when he joined the team in 2019. But accusations he got paid millions more for his so-called no-show sponsorship deal are raising questions about whether the team and Leonard skirted the league's strict salary cap rules. CBS's Elise Preston in Los Angeles has the details. Kawhi Leonard has earned hundreds of millions of dollars for his moves on the court. Right over Chris Paul. But now the Los Angeles Clippers star is in the spotlight for millions he allegedly made off the court. This is now where we can connect some of the dots. According to sports podcaster Pablo Torre, Leonard signed a $28 million endorsement deal with a now bankrupt global sustainability company called Aspiration, along with $20 million in stocks. What should we aspire to? But unlike actor Robert Downey Jr. and other celebrity endorsers for the company, Leonard was not required to do anything. John Gonzalez is an NBA analyst for CBS Sports. This looks awfully suspicious. How are you getting, you know, 10x over what Robert Downey Jr. is getting for a no-show endorsement deal? Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, the richest owner in the NBA, helped fund Aspiration's startup with $50 million. The league is now investigating whether Ballmer and the team tried to circumvent the NBA's salary cap. In an interview with ESPN last week, Ballmer denied any wrongdoing. I made an investment in these guys thinking it was on the up and up and they conned me. Meantime, a new report by the Toronto Star points to similar demands of no-show endorsement deals when Leonard was a free agent back in 2019 and his uncle, Dennis Robertson, was representing him in talks with the Toronto Raptors. It doesn't surprise me because this is things that have been whispered about in NBA circles for quite some time. Now, we reached out to the Clippers but have not heard back. Leonard has not publicly commented on the accusations. According to NBA rules, depending on the outcome of the investigation, both Leonard and the Clippers could face fines. John. Elyse Preston, thank you.

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Warsaw

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Breakdown