If you dive in, you’ll see how murky the water is. It’s hard to believe that the Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration is a figment of Pablo Torre’s mind. Every day, a new fact comes up, leaving everyone with endless questions. How did the NBA not know all of this? So, here’s another new insight that’s going to leave you wondering: How and why?

Dennis Robertson, aka Uncle Dennis’s bold streak was evident long before he stunned three NBA franchises by requesting perks so unusual they triggered a league investigation. Earlier, he had penned the foreword to a 90-page guide on business and dining etiquette. It was authored by his wife, Cheryl Walker Robertson. The contrast reveals a calculated mind blending ambition, sophistication, and audacity. In 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers tried to sign Kawhi Leonard.

Jeanie Buss & Co. believed Leonard’s uncle, who was handling the negotiations, either had no knowledge of the NBA’s rules or simply chose to ignore them.

The Athletic reported: “The Lakers repeatedly told Robertson that his requests were against the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. Outside of the negotiations, team sources said, the Lakers laughed at Robertson’s audacity. And to Robertson himself, team president Jeanie Buss underscored the outrageousness of the requests by saying he should attempt to get other teams to agree to his terms in writing.”

Kawhi Leonard sought far more than a max contract, demanding a private plane, a house, guaranteed endorsement income, and even equity in the team, reminiscent of the Lakers’ historic offer to Magic Johnson. The franchise had offered Magic Johnson a 25-year, $25 million contract signed in 1981, which was the highest-paying deal in sports at the time. Of course, in Kawhi’s case, the NBA deemed his requests as salary cap circumvention, and franchises rejected them. Yet Dennis Robertson persisted, pressing the demands repeatedly with unrelenting determination.

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Meanwhile, Leonard’s 2019 move to the LA Clippers, secured after the trade for Paul George, sparked an NBA investigation that cleared the team of granting Dennis Robertson’s improper requests. Yet fresh scrutiny has emerged, centering on a concealed endorsement with Aspiration. Tied closely to the Clippers and Steve Ballmer, potentially worth $50 million. Leonard never promoted the brand. Meanwhile, Robertson remained silent, and the Clippers firmly denied wrongdoing.

But here’s the thing: Kawhi Leonard and Steve Ballmer might not be banned from the league. Well, there is despite evidence of an $118 million influx.

The NBA could refrain from banning Kawhi Leonard

On June 14, 2022, the Clippers prepaid nearly $21 million in carbon offsets, elevating Aspiration’s fundraising just weeks before Kawhi Leonard’s first payout. By that moment, the total on carbon credits had surged to $56 million. Over 18 months, the franchise ultimately funneled an extraordinary $118 million to Aspiration. This figure underscores the scale and audacity of the dealings.

Meanwhile, NBA insider Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac recently tweeted: “The NBA does not expect to have a resolution on the Kawhi Leonard salary cap circumvention investigation until after the All-Star Game. The #Clippers host the All-Star Game.” The NBA will stage the 2026 All-Star Game on February 15 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, with the Clippers and the city hosting. Yet the backdrop is stormy, as financial controversy swirls around Leonard, Ballmer, and the franchise. Nevertheless, Adam Silver shows no intention of revisiting his decision, signaling firm resolve amid turbulence.

Thus, the Kawhi Leonard saga keeps getting wilder, a drama where audacity meets elite basketball. Uncle Dennis’s relentless demands, the Clippers’ calculated moves, and secretive endorsements have blurred the lines between strategy and spectacle. Further, the paper trail unearthed by Pablo Torre paints a bleak picture; it directly ties in Ballmer and his long-term associate and Clippers’ part-owner Dennis Wong to direct payments made to Aspiration that seemed linked to the Leonard payments made out by the company.

And despite the overwhelming circumstantial and actual evidence, Leonard and the Clippers seem unscathed as things stand. Therefore, questions linger, intrigue grows, and Adam Silver holds the cards, unturned.