Clippers respond to Kawhi Leonard report: ‘We did not funnel money’

The Clippers aren’t exactly hedging their bets.

Following ESPN’s report that the NBA has found no evidence owner Steve Ballmer funneled money through team sponsors to Kawhi Leonard to circumvent the salary cap, the Clippers issued a lengthy statement Monday reiterating their innocence.

The team acknowledged introducing Leonard to companies with which the Clippers had business relationships, but said its involvement ended there.

Here is the Clippers’ statement in full:

“The Clippers introduced players, including Kawhi Leonard, to companies with which we had business relationships. Making introductions between players and team partners is both an ordinary practice by NBA teams and a common request of players and representatives. From there, Kawhi and his representatives handled their own negotiations. The Clippers did not negotiate or dictate the terms of Kawhi’s endorsement agreements or determine what he would be paid.

“Our commercial relationships stood on their own merits. We chose sponsors, vendors, and other business partners based on normal business considerations, including the value they provided, the quality of their products and services, and their ability to meet our business needs. We did not overpay any vendor or provide any sponsor, vendor, or business partner with discounts or other favorable terms in order to funnel money to Kawhi.

“The fact that a player has an endorsement relationship with a company that also does business with his team is not evidence of salary-cap circumvention.

“After nearly a year of scrutiny, the central fact remains true and unchanged: the Clippers did not funnel money to Kawhi Leonard, arrange for others to compensate him on our behalf, or otherwise provide him with undisclosed compensation outside of his NBA contract.”

ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr., Baxter Holmes and Ramona Shelburne reported that the NBA’s focus has shifted toward whether the Clippers’ introductions of Leonard to sponsors themselves violated league rules, along with a possible “failure to supervise.” It remains unclear what specific rule would apply or what punishment could result.

One other significant piece remains unresolved: Leonard’s agreed-upon trade to Toronto.

That deal remains on hold because of the investigation, but ESPN reports Leonard and the Raptors are both operating under the expectation that the trade ultimately will be completed.

So the investigation continues. The Clippers, meanwhile, certainly sound like a team that believes the biggest question has already been answered.