Camille Naredo

Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets during Round One Game Six of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2025 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. Juan Ocampo, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP/File

INGLEWOOD, CA - May 1: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets during Round One Game Six of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2025 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE   Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Juan Ocampo / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)

Article (news)

2025 NBA Playoffs - Denver Nuggets v Los Angeles Clippers

Agence France-Presse

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1757837769512AFP__20250502__2212358176__v1__MidRes__2025NbaPlayoffsDenverNuggetsVLosAngelesClippe.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets during Round One Game Six of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2025 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. Juan Ocampo, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP/File"/>Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers looks on during the game against the Denver Nuggets during Round One Game Six of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2025 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. Juan Ocampo, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP/File</div>LOS ANGELES -- The former chief executive of the company that allegedly inked NBA star Kawhi Leonard to a phony endorsement deal to help the Los Angeles Clippers skirt the salary cap says reports of the contract are &quot;false&quot;.Andrei Cherny, who left the company Aspiration in 2022, said in a statement on X on Friday that Leonard, who reportedly signed a four-year deal worth $28 million in 2021 to market and endorse the company but never did so, had &quot;extensive&quot; obligations.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/9/4/clippers-dodged-nba-salary-cap-with-phony-job-for-leonard-report-2234">READ: Clippers dodged NBA salary cap with phony job for Leonard - report</a></div>&quot;The contract contained three pages of extensive obligations that Leonard had to perform,&quot; Cherny, who left Aspiration in 2022, wrote.&quot;And the contract clearly said that if Leonard did not meet those obligations, Aspiration could terminate the contract.&quot;The NBA is investigating the matter after journalist Pablo Torre reported that a purported Aspiration employee told him the payment to Leonard was to get around NBA salary cap rules.The Clippers, and Ballmer himself, have vigorously denied the claim.Ballmer invested $50 million in Aspiration in 2021 and the Clippers announced a $300 million sponsor partnership with the company two weeks later.In an interview with ESPN, Ballmer said this week that he himself had been &quot;conned&quot; by Aspiration, as had other investors.In his statement on X, Cherny said he signed the contract with Leonard in 2022.The Clippers had signed a four-year contract extension with Leonard in August 2021.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/9/6/clippers-owner-ballmer-says-he-had-no-idea-about-leonard-deal-report-1321">READ: Clippers owner Ballmer says he had no idea about Leonard deal -- report</a></div>&quot;In the months of discussion among our executives before signing the sponsorship, I don&#x27;t remember conversations about the NBA salary cap,&quot; Cherny said.&quot;I signed the contract shortly before I submitted my resignation, but before I left there were numerous internal conversations about the various things Aspiration was planning to do with Leonard once the 2022-23 season began. ... I can&#x27;t speak to what was done or not done after I left -- or why.&quot;Aspiration, a financial technology and sustainability services company, filed for bankruptcy this year and co-founder Joe Sanberg pleaded guilty in August on two counts of wire fraud.The US Justice Department said Sanberg used his position at Aspiration to defraud investors and lenders of more than $248 million.NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday that it would be up to the investigators hired by the league to prove impropriety on the part of the Clippers.<div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

The former chief executive of the company that allegedly inked NBA star Kawhi Leonard to a phony endorsement deal to help the Los Angeles Clippers skirt the salary cap says reports of the contract are "false".

The former chief executive of the company that allegedly inked NBA star Kawhi Leonard to a phony endorsement deal to help the Los Angeles Clippers skirt the salary cap says reports of the contract are "false".

NBA: Former Aspiration exec denies Leonard had 'no-show' deal

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Basketball

NBA: Former Aspiration exec denies Leonard had 'no-show' deal

Agence France-Presse

Published Sep 14, 2025 04:37 PM PHT

Read More:

abssports

basketball

NBA

Kawhi Leonard

Los Angeles Clippers

Aspiration

Andrei Cherny

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.