Multiple rival executives that spoke with The Athletic and indicated that endorsement deals like the one Kawhi Leonard had with Los Angeles Clippers’ team sponsor Aspiration are not common around the NBA.
“This (sort of endorsement deal) does not happen,” one long-tenured general manager said of the nature of this arrangement.
“I’ve never seen it,” said another executive.
When Leonard was a free agent, his uncle, Dennis Robertson, allegedly made requests for illegal perks. Rival owners shared their concerns with the NBA, who opened an investigation and found no circumventions of the cap.
Unlike the unnamed executives interviewed by The Athletic, Mark Cuban defended Ballmer against the allegations on X shortly after the Pablo Torre report was made public.