One thing I don't think I appreciated from the initial coverage but that they discussed in today's ep was that the $48M found to be contracted to pay KL is that 48m is the ~difference between what Ballmer was allowed to pay him as a free agent, and the max the Toronto team was allowed to pay to re-sign him.
Capturing the details really require at least two good listenings or taking notes so here's Bleacher Report summary of today's Torre podcast
Kawhi Leonard Reportedly 'Was Personally Guaranteed Another $20M in Aspiration Equity'
Doric Sam Sep 29, 2025
The controversy surrounding Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard's alleged side deals continues to develop with new details.
During Monday's episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out, sports journalist Pablo Torre revealed that Leonard "was personally 'guaranteed' another $20 million in Aspiration equity by company co-founder Joe Sanberg, according to multiple sources."
Torre went on to add that the arrangement between Leonard and Aspiration had "a unique, previously unreported wrinkle: a so-called put option, sources say, for Leonard to essentially sell back his equity to Aspiration for $20 million."
Earlier this month, Torre reported that the Clippers and team owner Steve Ballmer attempted to circumvent the NBA salary cap by paying Leonard $28 million through an endorsement deal with Aspiration, a now-bankrupt company in which Ballmer invested. The NBA launched an investigation into the matter to determine whether Ballmer and the Clippers violated any league rules.
Ballmer admitted to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that he made an introduction between Leonard and Aspiration at the company's request in November 2021, three months after he had signed a four-year, $173 million contract extension with the team. However, he denied having any knowledge of a side deal between Leonard and Aspiration.
"We even found the email that makes the first introduction. It was early November," Ballmer said. "The introduction got made and then they were off to the races on, on their own. We weren't involved. I eventually learned that they had reached a deal. I have no idea what the deal was."
Torre questioned Ballmer's pushback during Monday's episode of PTFO, as he reported that Ballmer "quietly donated $1.875 million" to Aspiration more than a year and a half after the Clippers said they ended their sponsorship agreement with the company.
"It's just inconceivable to me to be both hoodwinked and bamboozled yet continuously giving money to Joe Sandberg," a former employee of Aspiration's finance department told Torre. "... It does not make any iota of sense to invest in 2021, contribute nearly $100 million in carbon offset pre-purchases, reinvest in 2022-2023 round, claim all of that to be lost in 2023, and then come back for more in 2024 via charitable donation."
The Clippers are set to hold a media day on Monday, so there will undoubtedly be questions about these new developments. The rest of the NBA is also hoping to get more clarity about the controversy following Leonard into the start of the 2025-26 season.
"This should be embarrassing for the league," a current NBA head coach told Torre. "I know teams do little side deals, but what happened here is so obvious."