Kawhi Leonard investigation: Everything Clippers star said about NBA’s probe into Aspiration endorsement deal

While most press conferences from the NBA Media Day follow a similar script, there were real intrigues about what we hear from the clippers and in particular Kawhi Leonard.

On Monday, it was the first time that Leonard has answered the media questions since the alleged CAP bypass reports related to an appropriate agreement with the aspiration of the company now struck. Leonard has never done anything publicly to approve the aspiration, which made the agreement of $ 28 million he signed with them (and the additional $ 20 million for the company’s shares) seem extremely shady.

Steve Ballmer and the Clippers also had financial links with the company, creating other questions than the investigation league now. Although they have published numerous declarations on various reports, Leonard proposed his first comments on Monday. The star spent the first three minutes of his press conference answering questions about the situation, and that’s all he said.

Kawhi Leonard Investigation: what potential punishments could mean for the Clippers, Steve Ballmer and the NBA

Sam Quinn

When asked if there had been difficulty faced the distraction of the reports and the investigation at the start of the season, Leonard quickly raised his shoulders.

“It’s easy for me,” said Leonard. “I do not read the headlines or do not make conspiracy theories or something like that. This is the season and what we have been in front of us right now. Tomorrow, we will start the camp, and see what we have.”

When asked if he had had a reaction to the reports or a statement on the situation, Leonard had a brief answer.

“Um, no. The NBA will not do their job. None of us have done reprehensible acts. And, yes, that’s all,” said Leonard. “We invite surveys. It will not be a distraction for me or for the rest of the team.”

Leonard was asked if he was aware of the details of the contract, what he was supposed to receive aspiration and what he was supposed to do for this compensation.

“I understand the full contract and the services I had to do,” said Leonard. “As I said, I do not take care of plots or click analysts or journalism that is happening. This is what it is.”

When he supported the reports, he did nothing in the context of the agreement, Leonard moved attention to he was an old story for him.

“I don’t think it’s correct. But it’s old,” said Leonard. “All of this is new to you. The company went bankrupt a while ago, so we already knew that it was going to happen.”

Leonard was then asked if he had been paid for everything he was due and said he hadn’t done it.

“Uh, no. But the company went to the stomach,” said Leonard. “It was fraud, as everyone knows. If you want more questions or details on this business, you must ask the owner or anyone involved in the fraud that continued.”

He was asked if the reports that he still owed $ 7 million was correct, he said he did not know the exact number but thought it was actually more.

“I’m not sure, I have to come back to the books,” said Leonard. “No, that’s more than that.”

Finally, he was asked if he knew how much he had made this agreement, and he did not remember.

“No, it was like two, three, four years old,” said Leonard.

From this moment, the conversation moved to basketball, but it was certainly a fascinating back and forth to open her presser, with Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, who did the first interview with Steve Ballmer after the breakdown of history, asking questions about the details of the contract.

Calling a conspiracy theory, then confirming many details on the contract was interesting to say the least. Noting that it was due more than the $ 7 million initially reported is also remarkable, and the league will undoubtedly examine all this.

Leonard echoes the Clippers line to welcome the investigation, but we will know it once the investigation is finished – which will probably not be for a while – if Leonard and the Clippers have said that for a good reason, or if the league sees the situation differently, as most of the others do what was reported.