The NBA is investigating the Los Angeles Clippers over a report that they circumvented the salary cap when they signed Kawhi Leonard, and no one is less surprised by the story than Gilbert Arenas.
In an episode of his “Gil’s Arena” podcast back in January, Arenas spoke about how team owners with as much money as Ballmer should be able to find ways to compensate players “under the table.” That is exactly what the Clippers owner Steve Ballmer been accused of doing with the alleged phony endorsement deal Leonard had with a tree-planting company.
“I need to pay some of these people under the table. Like, are y’all not trying to be real owners?” Arenas said. “If I’m Ballmer, I don’t give a f— what that salary cap is. I don’t care what it says, I am cheating it. I got too much money to be on the same playing field with you broke a– n—as. We’re not in the same convo, sir.
“You want $50 million? I’m gonna give you $5 million on the books because I gotta afford somebody else — $5 million on the books, $45 million under the table, behind the scenes. Don’t even worry about it. I got you. You got a foundation? I got that. You got business deals? I got that. You want a percentage in what? I got that. Just go on ahead and sign that contract.”
Gilbert Arenas warned everyone about Kawhi & Steve Ballmer 💀pic.twitter.com/vtxwxUYotd
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) September 3, 2025
The scenario that Arenas laid out sounds eerily similar to the arrangement that Pablo Torre uncovered between Leonard and tree-planting company Aspiration, which filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. Ballmer had invested hundreds of millions in the company, though the Clippers have vehemently denied engaging in any salary cap manipulation. The team said in a statement that the allegations are “absurd” and that Aspiration defrauded Ballmer and others.
The NBA has announced that it will investigate the situation, and at least one other star player could now be looked into as well.
Leonard, 34, is entering his sixth year with the Clippers. L.A. has been to the Western Conference Finals once with Leonard but lost in the first round of the playoffs each of the past three seasons.
