A new development has surfaced in the ongoing controversy surrounding Kawhi Leonard’s salary-cap dealings. Reports reveal that Leonard had a undisclosed multi-million dollar sponsorship agreement with Daktronics, the company responsible for the Los Angeles Clippers’ unique halo scoreboard at Intuit Dome.
This revelation marks the third questionable arrangement to come to light within the past year. The initial suspicion stemmed from Leonard’s alleged involvement in a deal with environmental bank Aspiration, prompting an NBA investigation into potential salary cap circumvention by the Clippers to secure the services of the two-time NBA Finals MVP.
Adding to the intrigue, it was disclosed in July that Leonard held a minority ownership stake in the United Soccer League’s Rhode Island FC, a connection to the Clippers that may be tenuous at best.
Responding to inquiries regarding the reported deal with Leonard, a spokesperson for Daktronics stated, “My understanding is Daktronics doesn’t have a current agreement with Kawhi.” The situation is further complicated by the involvement of Wachtell Lipton, the law firm enlisted by the NBA to examine the intricacies of the Leonard case.
While the Clippers have vehemently denied any misconduct and have expressed cooperation with the league’s investigation, the trade involving Leonard returning to the Toronto Raptors for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and draft picks has been temporarily halted pending the completion of Wachtell Lipton’s probe into potential salary cap breaches.
The timeline for the investigation’s conclusion remains uncertain, with the inquiry having been ongoing for approximately 11 months, as reported by The Athletic in July.