Second Blow for Clippers: Kawhi Leonard's Secret Deal

Another nightmare has begun for Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers. In the latest episode of his podcast "Pablo Torre Finds Out," journalist Pablo Torre revealed that Leonard had a previously undisclosed, multimillion-dollar "sponsorship" deal with Daktronics, the company that manufactured the giant halo board hanging inside the Clippers' new home, the Intuit Dome. A high-level source under contract for the Intuit Dome project told Torre: "Pablo, you know the big halo board hanging from the ceiling in the Intuit Dome? That's from a company called Daktronics. And Daktronics also had a spokesperson from the Clippers named Kawhi Leonard."

A second, independent former Clippers employee corroborated the financial magnitude and intent of the agreement, saying it wasn't just discussed among higher-ups as a way to circumvent the salary cap — it was, in fact, a genuine multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal. The source further alleged the funding did not originate organically from Daktronics' own marketing budget but was instead funded by the club, effectively "funnelling money from the Clippers through Daktronics back to Kawhi." One insider told Torre: "It was 1,000% a way to circumvent the salary cap."

The development marks the second major scandal to emerge following Leonard's $28 million no-show endorsement deal with the now-bankrupt "green banking" company Aspiration, which first surfaced in September 2025. With the NBA's investigation into the Clippers-Aspiration matter still ongoing, this latest allegation could further extend the probe and complicate the process holding up Leonard's trade to the Toronto Raptors. Clippers management has denied any wrongdoing throughout.

Source: Pablo Torre
Image: Akşam