Kawhi Leonard Makes 1st Public Statements About Cap Scandal

September 29, 2025

Kawhi Leonard poses for picture at Media Day for the LA Clippers

The Kawhi Leonard/LA Clippers cap circumvention scandal continues to grow. Yet another episode was dropped by investigative reporter Pablo Torre on Monday, as it becomes more and more difficult for the Clippers to deny knowledge of the "no-show" endorsement deal Kawhi had with the tree-planting company Aspiration.

Now, on Media Day, Leonard had to face the music from the media, and he made his first public statements on the scandal (and likely his last, since public statements are not Kawhi's specialty.)

Leonard flatly denied the allegations of any cap circumvention improprieties, calling the reporting "conspiracy theories" and "clickbait."

 “It’s easy for me. I don’t read headlines or do conspiracy theories. … The NBA is going to do their job. None of us did no wrongdoing. That’s it.”

He continued: "I understand the full contract and the services I had to do. I don't deal with conspiracies or the clickbait analyst or journalism that's going on."

Kawhi adds, "I don't think it's accurate," that no services were performed and that he didn't receive the money that he was owed in the contract. 

But Torre, who blew open this bombshell story that the NBA is now investigating, has a couple of questions, if what Kawhi says is true:

Torre asks, (1) Why was this enormous “endorsement” deal never announced or even referenced, publicly, by anyone? and (2) What are the services Kawhi says he thinks he performed?

Although Leonard might not discuss it again, we're quite sure this isn't the last we've heard of this, as teams around the league are apparently furious at what's going on here, and an investigation continues by the NBA. 

Photo: © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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