The NBA is taking a significant step forward in their investigation of the Los Angeles Clippers’ alleged circumvention of the salary cap to sign Kawhi Leonard.
NBA investigators met with and interviewed both Leonard and his business advisor Dennis Robertson recently, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and other top executives have also been interviewed.
This suggests the league could be getting close to a determination on whether the Clippers violated any rules. Commissioner Adam Silver said this week that the investigation was “far along” and that the league is trying to wrap it up as soon as possible.
The Clippers are accused of using a third-party company to sign Leonard to an endorsement deal that required no effort on his part. Robertson, who helped negotiate Leonard’s 2019 deal with the Clippers, was also alleged to have made demands of the team that would have gone beyond what NBA rules allow. Both the team and Leonard himself have denied the allegations
Both Leonard and the Clippers have denied any wrongdoing. The organization could face stiff punishment if the league finds them guilty.
