Pablo Torre’s Pulitzer Puts Kawhi Leonard Investigation Back in Spotlight

Pablo Torre’s Pulitzer Prize for audio reporting returns the spotlight back to his award-winning work: Did the Clippers circumvent the NBA salary cap by funneling money to star Kawhi Leonard through a third-party company where owner Steve Ballmer was an investor?

According to the investigation by the team at Pablo Torre Finds Out, the now-defunct company Aspiration signed Leonard to a no-show, four-year $28 million marketing deal. The Clippers owner had previously invested $50 million in Aspiration in 2021. The Clippers also signed a $300 million sponsorship deal with the company, which went out of business after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2025.

“This is the defining scandal of [Commissioner] Adam Silver’s tenure as Commissioner,” Torre told Front Office Sports in September, 2025.

The question now is: what happens next with the Aspiration story?

Ballmer has denied any knowledge of the $28 million endorsement deal between Leonard and Aspiration. In fact, Ballmer said he was “conned” by Aspiration—and ended up losing his entire $60 million investment.

Similarly, Leonard has denied any wrongdoing. The seven-time All-Star told the media he “invites” an NBA probe into the matter.

The NBA announced an investigation led by the law firm Wachtel, Liption, Rosen & Katz, which the league has historically used for its biggest probes. But the regular season came and went without a ruling, as the investigation continues.

An NBA spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to the league’s CBA, the Clippers could face penalties including fines, the forfeiture of draft picks, and/or the voiding of Leonard’s contract if it’s determined that the team circumvented the salary cap.