The ongoing saga involving the Los Angeles Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, and the bankrupt company Aspiration has taken another dramatic turn. Journalist Pablo Torre has been at the forefront of the investigation, recently crediting former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban for sending him down a crucial reporting path. Torre tweeted that a source claimed Cuban “literally described exactly what they did to circumvent the cap,” suggesting Cuban’s insights were key to uncovering the Clippers’ alleged financial maneuvers.
This public acknowledgment seemed to position Cuban as an ally in Torre’s fact-finding mission. However, the billionaire businessman has now responded directly, and his message is not one of support. Instead of backing Torre’s conclusions, Cuban has issued a sharp public challenge, questioning the very foundation of the reporter’s investigative narrative and its focus on Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.
Mark Cuban took to X and delivered a lengthy, point-by-point rebuttal. He began sarcastically, “Pablo. Glad I could help!” before immediately pivoting to a series of demanding questions. He pressed Torre to “admit that you and your sources who said it was common knowledge the $50m was for cap circumvention were incorrect?” Cuban argued that the timing of investments near Leonard’s payment dates was coincidental, stating “A contract paid quarterly is always going to be close to any investment”.
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His strongest critique focused on Torre’s analysis of the carbon credit purchases. Cuban insisted that Torre “focus too much on the dates” and needed to understand the business mechanics, suggesting the funds were for Aspiration to “plant the tree or whatever kind they bought” to generate credits. He accused Torre of relying on circular reporting from mid-level sources who “didn’t know shit” about the fraud masterminded by Aspiration’s Joe Sanberg, the one person who “controlled everything”.
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