Los Angeles Clippers penalized for Kawhi Leonard salary cap violations

Investigations into the Los Angeles Clippers' efforts to circumvent NBA salary cap rules have revealed new details regarding payments to star forward Kawhi Leonard. According to journalist Pablo Torre, Boingo Wireless, a team sponsor, allegedly facilitated a $1.9 million payment to Leonard and an entity known as ‘CLIP’ through a promotional arrangement.

The arrangement reportedly involved a single one-hour appearance by Leonard at Camp Pendleton with members of the Marine Corps in August 2022. While officially categorized as a promotional operation, critics suggest the payment was disproportionate to the work performed. A former Boingo executive expressed concern that the company used its military connections to facilitate the transaction.

This follows an NBA investigation which concluded that the Clippers helped Leonard secure endorsement deals with four companies that did business with the team in exchange for business opportunities. The league's findings resulted in significant penalties, including a $30 million fine for the Clippers, the loss of five future first-round draft picks, and a one-year suspension for owner Steve Ballmer.