LOS ANGELES, September 4 — $66 million. That’s the figure that matters in the Kawhi Leonard salary-cap scandal, and it’s the number now hanging over the Los Angeles Clippers, the NBA, and one of the league’s biggest stars. Journalist Pablo Torre exposed the full scope on September 4, 2026, revealing that the Clippers offered Leonard unrecorded off-court income and endorsement opportunities through under-the-table deals totaling $66 million.
The bottom line: Leonard’s claim that he knew nothing about the circumvention has drawn widespread skepticism, with online reactions dismissing it as “Imagine Believing This” and “Infuriating.” The NBA had already acted. On Wednesday, September 2, the league announced punishments following an 11-month investigation by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.
By the numbers: the Clippers were fined $30 million and stripped of five first-round draft picks. Owner Steve Ballmer’s organization denied any wrongdoing, according to HEAVY, but the ruling stands as one of the largest punishments in league history. Commentator Bill Simmons called it “The Biggest Punishment in NBA History.” Leonard, a seven-time All-Star and former Finals MVP, took his own hit.
He was fined $700,000 but avoided suspension. The relatively small fine—just a fraction of his salary—keeps him on the court if his trade to the Toronto Raptors is finalized.
That trade, which would return him to the team where he won a championship in 2019, may now be in jeopardy. ESPN’s Shams Charania claimed Leonard had no knowledge of the circumvention, a defense that has largely failed to convince observers. Torre isn’t finished.
On his podcast, he stated, “I have a feeling there is more,” suggesting additional undisclosed benefits remain hidden. Insiders are listening. Tim MacMahon warned that the NBA “might just be getting started,” indicating further penalties could follow as more information emerges.
The league has left the door open, noting that additional sanctions are possible and that fines and draft pick forfeitures are effective immediately. The investigation was triggered by Torre’s own reporting.
What Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz found was evidence of unrecorded payments and endorsement deals prohibited under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement—arrangements designed to circumvent salary-cap rules and undermine competitive balance. The case has raised pointed questions about the role of agents and intermediaries in facilitating such deals. Investors will note the Clippers’ competitive position.
Losing five first-round picks severely hampers their ability to rebuild. The draft capital forfeiture is an enormous stack of lost opportunity, particularly for a franchise that has pushed hard to contend.
The scandal has dominated NBA news across multiple outlets including Pro Football Network, Basketball Network, Fadeaway World, and USA TODAY Sports. What to watch: whether appeals materialize—none have been announced—and whether Leonard’s trade to Toronto survives the fallout. The Raptors situation remains unsettled.
Also pending is whether Torre’s suspicion of more hidden benefits proves correct, and if the NBA’s enforcement crackdown widens to other teams. Leonard’s public statement after the punishment, reported by Roundtable Sports, has not had its content detailed. The reputational damage, however, is already significant.
