Kawhi Leonard has spoken out via his agent Harrison Gaines after the NBA's investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers' salary cap circumvention ended with a bunch of penalties handed down to the star forward and the franchise.
“Integrity and respect for this game are fundamental to who I am," read the statement. "I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family."
Leonard added he had "no knowledge of any intent on anyone's part to circumvent the salary cap."
He closed with a note about the trade to the Raptors that can now presumably go through: "As I return to Toronto, I am focused on what I can control, closing this chapter, and moving
forward with a clean slate."
Here's the entire statement:
Kawhi Leonard, through his new agent, Harrison Gaines, issues statement:
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 2, 2026
“Integrity and respect for this game are fundamental to who I am. I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused… https://t.co/cgWhrjcXuR
What did Kawhi Leonard do?
Here's a better question: What did the Clippers do and how was Leonard involved? The answer begins with Pablo Torre's investigation into allegations regarding a company called Aspiration -- invested in by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer -- with whom Leonard signed a contract. Here's more on that via USA TODAY Sports:
In the contract, a clause states that KL2 Aspire LLC, a company managed by Leonard, could "decline to proceed with any action desired by the Company," which set up a framework for Leonard to potentially receive payments without performing any work. Another clause states that Leonard would receive payments only if he continued to be a player on the Clippers.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: What Kawhi Leonard said after NBA investigation ends with penalties
