The Los Angeles Clippers‘ involvement with Aspiration has been one of the major talking points of the offseason. While initial statements by NBA commissioner Adam Silver indicated that the league was unaware of the brand or any dealings between the two parties, a recent report by ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Baxter Holmes revealed something else entirely. They wrote:
“The NBA vetted and approved a $300 million sponsorship deal between the LA Clippers and Aspiration in 2021, months before the green banking company signed a separate deal with star Kawhi Leonard that has triggered a salary cap-circumvention investigation by the league, multiple sources told ESPN.”
“Two sources with direct knowledge of the arrangement said the Clippers submitted the 23-year agreement to the NBA for approval before it was announced in September 2021, as required under league rules because it contained a jersey patch component, the sources said.”
The Clippers’ dealings with Aspiration have been controversial, to say the least. Earlier reports by journalist Pablo Torre highlighted the franchise’s efforts to circumvent the salary cap, emphasizing the Clippers’ substantial investment in the brand and the indirect compensation to Kawhi Leonard in the form of a “no-show” endorsement.
ESPN’s report further pointed out that such sponsorship deals with teams typically don’t need to be reviewed by the NBA, adding that teams only need explicit approval from the league in the event of visible elements of sponsorship, such as jersey patches.
Additionally, it was mentioned that the Clippers were set to feature the brand’s logo on their jerseys for the 2023-24 season, but this didn’t come to pass, further revealing that the franchise claimed to have ended their partnership with Aspiration the previous season.
Clippers’ owner Steve Ballmer denied any involvement in the endorsement deal, further adding that he was “conned” by Aspiration, which saw an investment of almost $118 million from Ballmer and other affiliated entities between 2021 and 2023.
Given that the NBA only allows teams to be involved in player sponsorship deals to the extent of introducing them to potential sponsors, Ballmer could be making a solid case for clearing his name. But considering the timing of certain investments, followed by Leonard’s sudden uptick in production and performance, some may consider the nature of these dealings to be questionable.
Will The Clippers Be Penalized By The NBA?
Regarding penalties, it is safe to say that the situation is volatile. If the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ case is to be considered as the baseline, the Clippers could face some serious penalties. However, according to reports, NBA commissioner Adam Silver is not solely responsible for this decision.
Silver has maintained that any decision on the matter will be made after a proper investigation has been conducted and the findings have been reviewed. The emphasis upon fairness could be viewed positively.
The NBA continues to carry out a probe into the negotiations and dealings between the Los Angeles Clippers and Aspiration. While this is a proactive move by the NBA, the sheer volume of items to sift through indicates that the investigation may not yield conclusive evidence until after the 2026 playoffs.
