As NBA All-Star Weekend festivities continue at the Los Angeles Clippers’ Intuit Dome, fans and teams around the league await results of a league investigation into whether the Clippers circumvented salary cap rules by arranging an endorsement deal for Kawhi Leonard with a former team sponsor.
The Trail Blazers and the Clippers currently sit right on the cusp of the play‑in tournament with Portland in ninth place and the Clippers in tenth. The ongoing NBA investigations add extra intrigue to the standings,
because a shift in either team’s lineup could tip the balance in what could be a tight race for play‑in spots.
The Athletic reports (subscription required) the league has hired the New York law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to investigate allegations that first came to light September 3rd on the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast. At issue: whether the Los Angeles Clippers orchestrated a multimillion‑dollar “no‑show” endorsement deal for star forward Kawhi Leonard with a now‑bankrupt environmental company. Sources say the arrangement may have been designed to funnel extra money to Leonard while keeping the Clippers under the salary‑cap limit, a tactic that would violate NBA rules.
It remains to be seen how the league could punish a man of Clippers owner Steve Ballmer’s means. He ranks 13th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Ballmer carries enormous influence in the NBA. His net worth is estimated at $134 billion, whereas the entire league has a valuation of $160 billion. He sits on one of the most important committees for the league’s Board of Governors. That’s serious firepower at Ballmer’s disposal to fight any ruling from the league. Ballmer is not only hosting the All-Star Game this month, but also Intuit is the site for the 2028 Olympic basketball tournament.
While the investigation unfolds, all 30 teams, including the Trail Blazers, are closely monitoring the outcome, as any sanctions could dramatically alter the competitive balance in the West and affect free‑agency negotiations for the upcoming season.
