Pablo Torre Finds Out The Briefcase, Ballmer's Social Network and Aspiration's House of Cards: Kawhi-Gate Part VII
21 snips
Jan 9, 2026 Amin Elhassan, a former NBA executive and sports commentator, joins David Samson, ex-MLB team president, to dissect controversy surrounding Kawhi Leonard's alleged no-show deal with Aspiration. They explore the timeline of events, digging into what the Clippers knew and potential league violations. The conversation delves into Steve Ballmer's ties to both the endorsement and ongoing investments despite financial troubles, revealing a web of intrigue involving internal emails and connections that could reshape league dynamics.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Aspiration Sources Say Clippers Likely Knew
- Multiple Aspiration employees told Pablo that a $48M no-show endorsement for Kawhi existed and that the Clippers were likely aware.
- This internal evidence forced Pablo to share documents with Wachtell Lipton during the NBA's probe.
Email Shows Aspiration Coordinated With Clippers
- An August 29, 2022 Aspiration email shows internal planning to get Kawhi-signed merch via the Clippers.
- The company's brand team wrote they believed "the Clippers are well aware."
Co-Owner Wong's Last-Minute $1.99M Injection
- Dennis Wong wired $1.99M to Aspiration in December 2022 and Kawhi was paid nine days later.
- Aspiration's Series C purchase agreement flagged defaults and regulatory inquiries at that time.