Clippers billionaire owner Steve Ballmer has been sued by 11 Aspiration investors who claim Ballmer used the company to secretly steer millions of dollars to Kawhi Leonard, according to a new report from Pablo Torre.
The allegation is that Ballmer needed Leonard to re-sign and that the Clippers could not legally match what Leonard could have made elsewhere, so Ballmer allegedly used Aspiration (now called Catona) to create an off-books incentive.
Per Torre, the complaint reads: “These funds would be channeled through [Aspiration] to Leonard so that Ballmer could induce Leonard to re-sign with the Clippers by covertly paying him more than allowed by the NBA’s salary cap rules.”
The plaintiffs go further, saying Ballmer was “complicit” and that Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg was kept loyal with additional Ballmer funding.
Investor Skip Miller told Torre: “A lot of people have been hurt here. This lawsuit is being brought to recoup their losses. We look forward to our day in court where everything will be aired out and justice will be done.”
The NBA has not commented. The Clippers have not commented. Leonard re-signed with the Clippers in 2021.
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