Clippers Star Kawhi Leonard Caught Up In Fradulent Endorsement Saga

This off-season has been rather smooth for drama around the NBA, but ahead of training camp, there's been a shock revelation in Los Angeles. This shock was uncovered by journalist Pablo Torre, who reveals a potential scam involving Kawhi Leonard and Steve Ballmer that has seen him benefit with millions outside of his NBA contract.

According to Torre, Leonard signed a $28 million 'no-show' job with a fraudulent tree planting company funded by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. In Torre's report, he clearly notes that this was all put together to circumvent the salary cap, with Leonard getting $28 million from the owner in this deal.

While this specific incident could be surprising to some, it's been known for quite some time that players sign deals like this under the table or with team sponsors so that they can make extra money from owners. 

On top of that, the contract with the fake company states that he will only get paid for this while he's a member of the Clippers, further solidifying that this is due to salary cap circumvention. 

It's unclear at this point whether this program is unique to Leonard and the Clippers, or whether other players on the team or around the league have done something similar. At this point, Adam Silver must be aware of the report from Torre, and given how he wants the league to compete on an even playing field, there's a chance he will look to Leonard and the Clippers to potential hand out punishment.