Kawhi: Allegations of no-show deal not accurate

INGLEWOOD -- Kawhi Leonard said that helium doesn't "think it's accurate" that helium performed nary existent services for Aspiration, the now-bankrupt greenish banking institution and LA Clippers squad sponsor that helium signed a lucrative endorsement declaration with.

"I recognize the afloat declaration and the services that I had to do. I don't woody with the conspiracies oregon the clickbait analysts oregon journalism that's going on," Leonard said Monday successful his archetypal nationalist comments astir the scandal, archetypal reported by the "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast.

Asked specifically by ESPN if helium ever performed immoderate services for what Torre reported was a four-year, $28 cardinal contract, Leonard said, "I don't deliberation it's accurate. But it's old. This is each caller to you guys. The institution went bankrupt a portion ago."

The NBA has launched an probe into whether proprietor Steve Ballmer and the Clippers violated league rules oregon circumvented the league's wage headdress due to the fact that Ballmer and number proprietor Dennis Wong were some investors successful the company.

Earlier this month, Ballmer told ESPN that helium did present Leonard and Aspiration successful November of 2021, 3 months aft the Clippers had agreed to a four-year, $173 cardinal hold with Leonard, who had torn a genu ligament during the team's archetypal ever Western Conference finals run.

Two months earlier, successful September of 2021, the Clippers announced a $300 cardinal concern with Aspiration, which included sponsorship successful the team's caller arena and connected its jersey patch.

NBA rules bash not prohibit teams from introducing squad sponsors oregon companies to players. They conscionable can't beryllium progressive successful consequent negotiations.

Ballmer told ESPN that helium did not cognize details of the endorsement declaration that Leonard subsequently agreed to with Aspiration. The Boston Sports Journal and Torre person subsequently reported Leonard was besides awarded $20 cardinal successful institution stock.

Leonard was listed among Aspiration's biggest creditors successful bankruptcy documents. On Monday astatine Clippers media day, ESPN asked Leonard however overmuch of that declaration helium was really paid, arsenic helium was listed arsenic being owed $7 million.

"I'm not sure, I've got to look backmost astatine the books. It was much than that for sure," Leonard said. Asked if helium collected what helium was owed by Aspiration, Leonard said, "No, but the institution went belly up. It was fraud, arsenic everybody knows. If you privation to cognize much details astir that institution you request to inquire that institution oregon the proprietor oregon whoever other is involved."

In his interrogation with ESPN, Ballmer besides said that helium did not person an mentation for wherefore Aspiration would wage Leonard specified a lucrative endorsement deal.

"These were guys who committed fraud," Ballmer said. "Look, they conned me. They conned me. I made an concern successful these guys reasoning they were connected the up and up, and they conned me. I person nary quality to foretell wherefore they mightiness person done thing they did, fto unsocial the circumstantial declaration with Kawhi."

Leonard said Monday that helium welcomes the NBA probe and is assured its findings volition exonerate him.

"The NBA is going to bash their job," Leonard said. "None of america did nary wrongdoing. That's it. We invitation the investigations. It's not going to beryllium a distraction for maine oregon the remainder of the team."