Key Takeaways
- A report claims Kawhi Leonard had a multimillion-dollar sponsorship agreement with Daktronics, a contractor for the Clippers’ Intuit Dome.
- The NBA did not substantiate claims that the alleged deal was used to circumvent the salary cap, and both the league and Clippers declined comment.
- The allegation comes as the NBA continues reviewing Leonard’s separate $28 million endorsement agreement with former team sponsor Aspiration.
Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers are facing another round of scrutiny after a new report alleged the NBA star had a previously undisclosed multimillion-dollar sponsorship agreement with a company closely connected to the franchise’s new arena.
On Thursday (Aug. 6), “Pablo Torre Finds Out” claimed that Leonard had an agreement with Daktronics. The South Dakota-based company was a major contractor on Intuit Dome, designing a nearly acre-sized, double-sided Halo Board containing approximately 38,375 square feet of digital display space. Multiple anonymous sources connected to the team and arena project told Torre that the sponsorship was worth millions of dollars, though its exact value and timeline remain unclear.
One source alleged that the arrangement “was 1000% a way to circumvent the salary cap” and claimed money was being funneled “from the Clippers through Daktronics back to Kawhi.” Per Reuters, the NBA did not substantiate the allegation, and neither the league nor the Clippers responded to requests for comment.
When Torre’s podcast asked the company about the reported agreement, a spokesperson said, “My understanding is Daktronics doesn’t have a deal with Kawhi right now.”
NBA investigation into Clippers and Kawhi Leonard remains ongoing
The revelation arrives while the Clippers are already under investigation over a separate $28 million endorsement agreement between Leonard and Aspiration, a former team sponsor that later filed for bankruptcy. The NBA opened its probe in September 2025 following earlier reporting from Torre questioning whether that arrangement represented compensation outside Leonard’s playing contract. Speaking to ESPN, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer denied directing Aspiration to sign Leonard and previously said he was defrauded by the company.
The investigation, which is being conducted by outside law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, also complicated Leonard’s future. Per the NBA, Toronto and Los Angeles reached an agreement in principle on June 30 that would send Leonard back to the Raptors, but the deal was placed on hold pending the investigation. Toronto said the league informed the organization that it would assume the risk of any potential outcome from the probe that could affect Leonard.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver previously stated that he believed the investigation and any resulting conclusions or penalties could be completed before the start of the upcoming season.