The NBA has publicly criticized an ESPN story that reported the league found no evidence that LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer illegally paid Kawhi Leonard through team sponsors to bypass the salary cap. In response to the article published on August 17, NBA spokesman Mike Bass asserted that ESPN’s coverage contained "numerous and significant inaccuracies" and stressed that the league has not completed its investigation, promising clarity once the probe concludes. ESPN, however, stands by its story, noting their repeated efforts to secure comment from the NBA during the reporting process.

This dispute is part of a broader, ongoing investigation into the Clippers’ dealings involving Leonard’s compensation, which began in September 2025 after journalist Pablo Torre reported the Clippers allegedly used a no-show endorsement deal with the failed startup Aspiration as a salary cap circumvention tactic. The prolonged inquiry has delayed a trade sending Leonard to the Toronto Raptors and has drawn commissioner Adam Silver’s acknowledgment of the investigation's longer-than-expected duration, with hopes to wrap it up by summer’s end.

Additional complexity was introduced when recent reports suggested Leonard might have benefited from other endorsement arrangements, including one with Clippers’ scoreboard manufacturer Daktronics and another company called Boingo Wireless. The Clippers have denied any wrongdoing, clarifying that while they facilitate marketing introductions, Leonard and his representatives handled contract negotiations independently, denying payments or discounts intended to circumvent salary cap rules.

With the investigation still active under the guidance of law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, the league continues to examine whether the Clippers breached NBA salary cap protocols or failed in oversight responsibilities. This ongoing saga underscores tensions between the NBA and its key media partner ESPN, which collectively holds a $2.6 billion annual media-rights deal with the league, adding layers to the controversy as all parties await a final determination.