28 million in 4 years! Leonard Yin-Yang Contract! NBA Official Investigation Clippers

On the evening of September 3, The Athletic reporter Pablo Torre broke the news on the show that there was a yin-yang contract between the Clippers and Leonard, and that the Clippers were suspected of evading the salary cap. He also showed multiple documentary evidence. NBA famous reporter Kevin O 'Connor and Yahoo Sports and other media have reported on this news.

The leader helped everyone to sort out: The document shows that Leonard had signed a four-year, $28 million endorsement contract with a carbon neutral company called Aspiration, but this job is actually a nominal position. The real big thing is still behind: Clippers Ballmer secretly invested $50 million in this company.

Since it is an endorsement contract, Leonard must do something for this company, right? No, he has never done any publicity for this company, nor has he mentioned this company. In March this year, Aspiration filed for bankruptcy allegedly fraudulently. The company has laid a list of creditors in bankruptcy filings, bringing the Clippers and Leonard to the surface. In order to clarify this relationship, journalist Pablo Torre spent several months investigating 3,487 documents and interviewing several employees of the company. A financial executive said: "I don't understand why I signed that contract with Leonard? But the answer I got was 'Don't ask if there is any question, this is to avoid the salary cap.'"

The Clippers' official response: "Balmer and the Clippers have never evaded the salary cap through Aspiration, nor have they done anything wrong. The Clippers had terminated their cooperation with Aspiration two years ago." The latest report by NBA reporter Rob Murrows, the NBA officially launched an investigation into Leonard's endorsement contract. If it is confirmed, the Clippers will face heavy penalties.

NBA's most famous Yin-Yang contracts are undoubtedly the Timberwolves and Joe Smith. In order to obtain Joe Smith's "bird rights", the Timberwolves made him sign a short contract for three years: in the summer of 1998, Joe Smith joined the Timberwolves for one year for $1.75 million; in the summer of 1999, the contract was renewed for one year for $2 million; in the summer of 2000, the contract was renewed for one year for $2.5 million.

Timberwolves and Joe Smith reached a private agreement: they could renew their contract on the hat after having the "bird rights", and gave him a 6-year, $86 million contract in the summer of 2001. Unexpectedly, at this time, Joe Smith's agent Andrew Miller went to court with his agency, and the agency exposed the Yin-Yang contract.

NBA official issued a heavy ticket: The Timberwolves were fined $3.5 million, confiscated the first round picks for the next five years (two were later returned), and Timberwolves owner Taylor and vice president McHale were suspended for one year. Joe Smith's contract was invalidated and he became a free agent. If the Clippers and Leonard really have a Yin-Yang contract, they will face similar penalties.

Let's take a look at several contracts signed by Leonard with the Clippers: in the summer of 2019, he joined the Clippers for 3 years and $103 million; in the summer of 2021, he renewed the contract in advance for 4 years and $176.3 million; in January 2024, he renewed the contract in advance for 3 years and $152.4 million. His four-year, US$28 million "endorsement contract" was from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2026.

The last question: Do you think the Clippers' Yin-Yang contract really exists? Which team is suspicious?