Kawhi Leonard Investigation Reportedly Ends as Clippers and Steve Ballmer Await Potential Trial

Kawhi Leonard, Brandon Ingram, and Gradey Dick's futures were put on hold after they were traded. The deal sending the two-time DPOY to the Toronto Raptors was put on hold while the league dug deeper into the scandal involving him and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Well, reports now say that the investigation into the controversy, which is being handled by a third party, has officially ended. However, that doesn't mean there isn't any more waiting involved. Now, though, Leonard and the Clippers have to wait for something else entirely.

The facts of the case have all been delivered, per The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov. Now that the investigation has officially concluded, the league will review what has been discovered. The only thing people need to wait for now is what the league will eventually decide.

This also means that the trade sending Leonard to Toronto for Ingram and Dick is still incomplete. Adam Silver and the NBA will have to decide if there's enough to warrant penalties. If there is one, the case will have to go on trial, per the league's CBA.

Currently, there is no timeline for when this will be resolved. Leonard, Ingram, and Dick may very well still be a part of the teams they were traded from once October rolls around and training camp officially opens.

This would lead to an awkward situation in which the players involved in the trade would be unable to report to their supposed new teams. Something that could affect chemistry if they are eventually cleared to move forward with the transaction.

Silver did say that he was hopeful that the case would reach a conclusion before the offseason is over. However, his hope for it doesn't mean it actually is the case.

Why Is the NBA Investigating Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers

Kawhi Leonard is one of the NBA's biggest stars and is rightfully one of the league's highest-paid players. Of course, that doesn't mean his team can just pay him whatever they want.

The league has rules governing how contracts are handed out, including a cap on how much a team can spend on its roster. This particular rule is the one the Clippers are being accused of violating with Leonard.

In 2022, the Clippers' star forward signed a four-year deal with a company called Aspiration. The deal was for a $28 million endorsement deal, and also included $20 million in company equity.

However, the endorsement deal also included a clause stating that Leonard didn't have to endorse anything that wasn't aligned with his personal beliefs. In the end, he never had any projects with Aspiration.

Due to the circumstances surrounding his contract with this company, the endorsement deal he signed is being viewed as a potential case of cap circumvention.

The allegation is that the Clippers used this deal to pay Leonard more than his NBA contract stated. This meant the organization could funnel more money into his account without it counting against the league's salary cap.

Further adding to the allegations is the fact that Steve Ballmer, owner of the Clippers, had invested money into Aspiration.