On the latest installment of Pablo Torre Finds Out, investigative journalist Pablo Torre unveiled documents that show that Kawhi Leonard received $1.75 million from "tree brokerage" company Aspiration just days after a Los Angeles Clippers minority owner invested almost $2 million.
Torre reports that a company associated with Dennis J. Wong wired $1.99 million to Aspiration in December 2022. As reported by For the Win, Wong owns one percent of the Clippers, while billionaire Steve Ballmer owns the other 99 percent of the franchise. Nine days later, Kawhi Leonard received $1.75 million from Aspiration.
"It is beyond shocking," said a former Aspiration employee.
The Clippers, in a statement shared with Torre, said that Aspiration "defrauded Steve [Ballmer] and many others." Wong did not respond to a request for comment.
The payment raises more questions about Leonard's $28 million endorsement deal for a "no-show job" with Aspiration, a company that has since filed for bankruptcy. One of the creditors listed in the bankruptcy filing was named KL2 Aspire LLC, which was still owed $7 million. KL2 Aspire is an LLC belonging to Leonard, who never publicly endorsed Aspiration. The company previously received $50 million in funding from Ballmer, sparking speculation that the "no-show job" was a way for the Clippers to circumvent the NBA salary cap.
Following Torre's initial report on Leonard, the NBA launched an investigation into the Clippers and the NBA star. "We are aware of this morning’s media report regarding the LA Clippers and are commencing an investigation,” league spokesman Mike Bass said earlier this month.
Canadian journalist Bruce Arthur has also reported that when Leonard entered free agency in 2019, his uncle Dennis Robertson attempted to get the franchise to get him a "no-show" job to stay with the team.