Clippers in the Spotlight Over Salary Cap Allegations
The former majority owner of the NBA’s Clippers is standing by the team amid allegations of circumventing the salary cap, which made headlines on Wednesday.
In response to a report by Pablo Torre on a podcast, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has come under scrutiny regarding Kawhi Leonard’s $28 million marketing deal, which he was reportedly absent for. Former Mavericks head coach Mark Cuban expressed his support for Ballmer, asserting that he sees nothing wrong with the situation.
Cuban took to X to say, “I’m on Team Ballmer.”
On the same day, Torre also revealed that Leonard is tied to a four-year contract linked to a sustainability startup backed by Ballmer, which unfortunately went bankrupt earlier this year. The startup’s co-founder, Joe Samberg, was arrested on fraud charges. In bankruptcy proceedings, it was discovered that Leonard’s company is now among those seeking compensation.
One employee mentioned to Torre that dealing with Leonard’s company feels like “averaging the salary cap.”
The NBA confirmed early on Wednesday that it is looking into the matter.
Cuban further stated his belief that the Clippers, who signed a significant sponsorship deal with Aspiration, might be involved in misleading practices.
Cuban wrote, “They signed a $300 million sponsorship deal with the Clippers in 2021. That’s a substantial amount. The better the team performs, the more valuable the sponsorship becomes. If there’s a plan to misappropriate money from investors while supporting the Clippers’ success, isn’t that concerning? It seems like the narrative is skewing against Ballmer, painting him as the villain.”
After Torre invited him, Cuban indicated he would be “happy” to elaborate further on his views during a podcast appearance.
The Clippers have firmly denied any wrongdoing in relation to the salary cap. In a detailed statement released to several media outlets, the team insisted, “Neither the Clippers nor Steve Ballmer circumvented the salary cap. The suggestion that Steve is focusing his investments solely on Kawhi Leonard is absurd. His commitment stems from a genuine dedication to his clients and environmental responsibility.”
