Richard Jefferson says NBA players couldn’t care less about Kawhi Leonard’s reported $28 million “no-show” endorsement deal. Speaking on ‘The Sports Reporters’ podcast, the former NBA champion said players around the league aren’t upset by the controversy and understand that superstar money comes with superstar value.
“You can go to the players and say, ‘What are your thoughts?’” Jefferson said. “Collectively? None of us can care that someone else got another $28 million. I’m mad that it wasn’t me. We ain’t heard no players complaining. We thought this was an unfair advantage, and with the league, players have shown zero outrage.”
Kawhi Leonard’s $28 million endorsement deal became a major story in the NBA, prompting a full investigation that could result in a range of penalties for the Clippers. If found guilty, they could face fines, the loss of picks, or even the loss of Kawhi himself. According to Jefferson, however, the superstar players like Kawhi are already underpaid and the league shouldn’t put a cap on how much they can earn in these types of deals.
“Don’t tell me that LeBron James, and we saw what he did to the Cleveland economy when he would show up and then he would leave, don’t tell me he’s not worth billions to that community,” Jefferson added. “You’re going to be capped to make the same amount of money as Ja Morant. It’s not baseball.”
While the players may not care about the Aspiration scandal, it’s something that should raise concern with every true fan of the game. Not only was Kawhi Leonard getting paid in a “no-show contract” with a fraudulent company, but it was all being bankrolled by Steve Ballmer, who claims that he was conned into forking over $118 million. His “donations” came as the company was sinking, and yet they still found the funds to pay Kawhi.
While no concrete evidence has been proven one way or the other, a strong paper trail and circumstantial evidence support the idea that the ‘Aspiration’ endorsement deal was just a front for paying Kawhi off the books. The scandal threatens the very integrity of the league and, depending on the outcome, sets a precedent that CBA rules can be broken under the right conditions.
For a league where balance and fairness are so important, it’s essential for teams to have the same resources and that means limiting the advantage of owners like Ballmer, whose pockets are endless and resources nearly infinite. With a net worth of over $158.6 billion, he could easily buy his way to success if the NBA allowed it. Instead, he has to play by the rules and stay within a limit that will reward smart team building.
Ultimately, as the NBA concludes its investigation into the matter, we will find out soon enough how this saga ends. Whether he’s suspended or not, the players won’t think any less of Kawhi Leonard and many might feel envious that he’s managed to secure so much extra money over the course of his career.
If the investigation confirms wrongdoing, it could reshape how the NBA handles star-player endorsements and ownership influence. But for now, the players seem unfazed by the noise and focused on their own business. As Richard Jefferson made clear, in a league where everyone’s chasing money and legacy, nobody’s losing sleep over Kawhi Leonard cashing another check.
