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The whispers surrounding Kawhi Leonard’s alleged $28 million “side deal” with the Los Angeles Clippers have become one of the most controversial stories in recent NBA history. What began as a quiet business arrangement tied to a company called Aspiration has evolved into a full-blown scandal, with new details uncovered by Pablo Torre Finds Out. According to Torre’s reporting, the Clippers may have used Leonard’s endorsement deal with Aspiration as a financial loophole to lure him to Los Angeles in 2019, The Sports Rush reports. The arrangement reportedly funneled millions outside of the salary cap structure, prompting the league to reopen its investigation earlier this year. Despite the seriousness of the claims, no punishment has been handed down to Leonard, team owner Steve Ballmer, or the organization. That lack of action doesn’t surprise Gilbert Arenas, The Sports Rush reports. The former All-Star, known for his unfiltered takes, told VladTV that expecting the NBA to crack down on one of its most powerful owners is unrealistic. “Let’s be honest,” Arenas said. “To get around a salary cap in a business where you’re capping off million and billionaires from spending money that they want to spend, you think he’s the only one guilty of it? The commissioner works for the owners. So how many of these other owners would be guilty of the same thing?” Arenas Questions NBA’s Willingness to Police Its Own Arenas’ remarks speak to what many fans already suspect — that the NBA’s leadership is often reluctant to challenge ownership. While the league acted swiftly to remove Donald Sterling for racist behavior in 2014, this current situation involves the league’s financial integrity, which hits much closer to home for other owners. Torre’s investigation has already connected Aspiration cofounder Joe Sanberg, who pled guilty to wire fraud, to the alleged payment structure that may have benefited Leonard. Still, the NBA has approached the matter with caution. Commissioner Adam Silver told Sports Illustrated that the league is examining every angle. “We will look at everything that’s presented to us,” Silver said. “That includes inferences that come from evidence as well. We want to be careful and make sure we have a true understanding of whatever happened here.” Silver also acknowledged the process could be lengthy. “The stakes are very high,” he said. “We want to be fair to the Clippers and Steve Ballmer, but also protect the integrity of the league.” Why Arenas Believes Nothing Will Happen For Arenas, the entire situation is just another reminder that the NBA operates on power dynamics as much as fairness. Ballmer, the wealthiest owner in the league, sits in a position few would dare challenge. “The commissioner works for the owners,” Arenas said. “If they all play the same game, nobody is going to tell on anyone else.” The silence around the investigation has fueled skepticism among fans and media alike. Many believe that if a smaller-market team or lesser-known owner had been involved, the league’s response would have been much harsher. Instead, conversations around the Clippers have largely shifted back to basketball, with discussions about Leonard’s health and the team’s championship hopes replacing talk of the alleged payment. If the allegations are true, however, the implications stretch beyond Los Angeles. Rival franchises like the Lakers and Raptors, who were both in the running for Kawhi Leonard’s signature in 2019, could argue that the league’s competitive balance was compromised. “The rules are in place for a reason,” one executive told Sports Illustrated. “If you don’t enforce them, then they’re meaningless.” Arenas’ comments highlight the perception that accountability in the NBA often depends on who you are, not what you do. Until the league makes its findings public, the situation will remain a test of how far its commitment to fairness truly goes.
