The defining NBA offseason story was not which stars would stay put, which players would change teams or which draft picks might become the league’s next elite talents. Instead, the biggest headline centered on the fallout from the Aspiration controversy involving the Los Angeles Clippers, team owner Steve Ballmer and Kawhi Leonard.
Here’s the short version: Leonard signed a four-year endorsement agreement with Aspiration, a Clippers sponsor, worth $28 million and potentially as much as $48 million. An investigation suggested the arrangement amounted to a “no-show” job for Leonard, while the Clippers allegedly used the sponsorship to direct additional compensation to him beyond what was permitted under the NBA’s salary-cap rules. Four sponsorship agreements carried up to $66 million in potential compensation, including $18 million confirmed as paid to Leonard. The league determined that all four deals violated its salary-cap circumvention rules.
The Clippers paid a heavy price. Ballmer was fined $30 million, while the franchise must surrender five first-round draft picks—penalties that could hinder the team for years. Leonard, by comparison, came through the investigation with far less damage. He received a $700,000 fine but was not suspended, meaning he will not miss games because of the league’s punishment.
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Leonard also no longer remains in Los Angeles. Earlier this month, the Clippers traded him to the Toronto Raptors, the team he famously led to the 2019 NBA championship during his only season in Canada. In return, Los Angeles received Gradey Dick, Brandon Ingram, first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, second-round selections in 2030 and 2033, and a first-round pick swap next year.
Leonard has now signed a two-year, $115 million contract extension with Toronto. The agreement includes a player option for the 2028-29 season. The 35-year-old is entering the season on the final year of his Clippers contract, leaving him under contract for a total of $165 million over the next three seasons. His stated plan is to finish his career with the Raptors.
Leonard could have commanded even more money. ESPN reported that he accepted $11 million less than the maximum extension Toronto was allowed to offer, with both sides viewing the decision as a way to preserve flexibility as the Raptors’ payroll continues to grow. Leonard also waived a separate $7.45 million trade kicker tied to his move from Los Angeles.
The contrast is striking. After years of questions about whether the Clippers used creative arrangements to funnel extra money to Leonard outside the salary cap, his return to Toronto involved voluntarily giving up millions. He is still guaranteed $165 million over the next three seasons, but maximizing every possible dollar was evidently not his priority in this case.
Injuries have shaped much of Leonard’s career, but he is coming off the highest-scoring season of his NBA tenure. He averaged 27.9 points across 65 games last season, although the performance did not lead to a postseason berth. Leonard remains one of basketball’s premier defenders and has earned seven All-NBA selections. He is also a two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP, winning those awards with San Antonio in 2014 and Toronto in 2019.
Whether Leonard can help the Raptors return to championship contention remains uncertain. But after signing a $115 million extension, the $700,000 fine he received now looks almost negligible.
