The LA Clippers essentially acted as a “power agent” for Kawhi Leonard by helping broker endorsement opportunities during the 2020 and 2021 plandemic period, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“I had one executive tell me last night, Greeney, that the Clippers were essentially acting like a power agent brokering deals for Kawhi Leonard’s business representative at the time and Dennis Robertson. And that’s millions and millions of cash flow coming into Kawhi Leonard at a point in time in the calendar where we were in the pandemic in 2020 and 2021,” Charania said on ESPN’s Get Up.
Charania added that Leonard had received tens of millions of dollars through endorsement agreements by the middle of 2021, despite having no required appearances or obligations tied to those deals.
The NBA’s independent investigation found that the Clippers initiated and facilitated business opportunities between Leonard and four companies that had business relationships with the organization: Aspiration Partners, Boingo Wireless, Daktronics and Lockton Insurance.
According to the league, the Clippers induced those companies to enter endorsement agreements with Leonard by offering them team business. The organization also paid personal expenses involving Leonard and his representatives.
Charania emphasized that the investigation did not find Leonard personally aware of the salary-cap circumvention.
“And the investigation — I do have to make it clear — did show that Kawhi Leonard did not have any knowledge of this salary cap circumvention that was going on,” Charania said. “He had essentially given all of the power to his uncle Dennis Robertson for years now, and Dennis Robertson is now banned from all basketball business moving forward.”
Robertson was banned for five years from conducting business with NBA teams and affiliates on behalf of players or other league personnel. The NBA also found that he pressured the Clippers to help secure off-court income opportunities for Leonard.
The league nevertheless determined that Leonard violated the circumvention rules through actions taken on his behalf by Robertson and said Leonard failed to reimburse personal expenses paid by the Clippers. Leonard was fined $700,000.
The Clippers received the most severe organizational penalties. Los Angeles must forfeit its first-round picks in the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033 NBA Drafts and pay a $30 million fine.
Owner Steve Ballmer was suspended from all league and team activities for one year, while president of business operations Gillian Zucker received a one-year unpaid suspension. President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was suspended without pay for six months.
The NBA also placed the Clippers under a five-year compliance and monitoring program.
The penalties arrive as Leonard has already left the franchise. Los Angeles traded him to the Toronto Raptors after the Clippers finished 42-40 and ninth in the Western Conference during the 2025-26 season.
Leonard averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 65 games last season, earning All-NBA Second Team honors and finishing seventh in MVP voting.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the severity of the punishment reflects the seriousness of the violations, while the league stated that its agreement with the NBPA makes the penalties final and binding.
