NBA Probe: Did Clippers Fund Kawhi via Aspiration Deal?

A whistleblower complaint filed with the SEC in 2023 alleged that Aspiration fraudulently misused funds to help the LA Clippers circumvent salary cap rules, potentially to pay star player Kawhi Leonard an incentivized bonus. The NBA is currently investigating accusations that the Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer paid Leonard millions in excess of league limits via a four-year, $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration.

Joseph Sanberg, Aspiration's co-founder, personally gave Leonard $20 million in company equity, though Leonard reportedly never appeared in Aspiration's marketing campaigns. Sanberg pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges last year and is awaiting sentencing, while Aspiration filed for bankruptcy in March 2025. The U.S. Department of Justice also charged Sanberg with fraud in March 2025.

Steve Ballmer, a significant investor in Aspiration, reportedly invested $50 million in December 2021 and an additional $10 million in March 2023. The SEC's complaint described this later investor as having been duped by Sanberg, with artificially inflated company numbers.

The NBA hired a law firm in September to investigate these accusations, and Commissioner Adam Silver stated in February 2026 that the Clippers have cooperated. Silver noted the investigation's complexity, involving a bankrupt company and numerous interviews, and that recommendations are pending.