The NBA’s investigation into whether the Los Angeles Clippers used salary cap circumvention to pay Kawhi Leonard is nowhere near done. In fact, it could drag out well into 2027 if there’s no agreement on the findings. This whole mess has completely frozen a monster proposed trade that would send Leonard to the Toronto Raptors.
Kawhi’s Blockbuster Toronto Trade Is Stuck
The Clippers were trying to deal Leonard, who won a championship with Toronto in 2019, in a blockbuster trade for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and draft pick swaps. But the Raptors aren’t touching it. The NBA told them they’d assume the risk of any fallout from the probe, so the Raptors are waiting for the investigation to wrap. You can’t blame them, right?
This whole investigation originally kicked off thanks to journalist Pablo Torre, who dug into a $28 million endorsement deal between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC. Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg pleaded guilty in October 2025 to wire fraud, costing victims at least $248 million, and was sentenced to 14 years. Torre’s podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” even won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting for his work on this. Serious stuff!
A Brand New Scandal Surfaces
And just when you thought it couldn’t get crazier, a new scandal involving Leonard has surfaced. Pablo Torre, along with WPRI-TV Target 12 and Hunterbrook, dropped a fresh investigation. This one says Leonard, his uncle Dennis Robertson, and his former agent Mitch Frankel were all minority investors in Rhode Island FC and its stadium project, Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket. This 10,500-seat facility on the Seekonk River received $110 million in public funds.
The plan wasn’t just for a stadium; it was supposed to include new affordable housing, shops, and restaurants around the site. The kicker? Ground was broken in 2022, and not a single housing unit has been built. City officials last month said they secured $30 million in investments through loans, and construction is slated to start later this year, expected to take three to four years. This new mess throws another huge wrench into the NBA’s already never-ending probe.
So, what does this all mean for the league? The NBA’s got its hands full, big time. With a massive trade for a star player like Leonard frozen solid and now a *second* major scandal popping up, this investigation is going to be front and center for a long, long time. Everyone across the league will be watching closely to see how this incredibly complex situation unfolds. No quick fixes here, folks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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