Report: Clippers co-owner wired Aspiration $2M before late Kawhi payment

There's another layer to the Los Angeles Clippers' unusual relationship with Aspiration.

Clippers co-owner Dennis Wong wired the now-bankrupt company just under $2 million on Dec. 6, 2022 - nine days before it sent an overdue payment of $1.75 million to Kawhi Leonard as part of Aspiration's contract with the forward, Pablo Torre reported Thursday on the "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast, citing bank statements.

The $1.75-million payment to Leonard on Dec. 15 was reportedly months late as Aspiration began running out of funds. That same day, the company laid off approximately 20% of its staff, a former finance department employee told Torre.

Wong's nearly $2-million investment, sent from his limited partnership DEA 88 Investments, reportedly marked the first time he had ever sent Aspiration money.

He owns 1% of the Clippers in contrast to Ballmer's 99%. Wong is also the vice-chairman and alternate governor of the franchise. He and Ballmer were roommates at Harvard during the 1970s and occasionally sit together courtside at Clippers games.

Wong's daughter was also previously employed by Aspiration, sources told Torre.

The NBA is investigating the Clippers for allegedly circumventing the salary cap by paying Leonard outside the terms of his player contract through Aspiration. Ballmer has denied the claims.

Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday that the league would look at the "totality of evidence" in its inquiry and the burden of proof would fall on the NBA.

The Clippers have been disciplined for attempted cap circumvention before. In August 2015, a year after Ballmer officially took over the franchise, the NBA fined the Clippers $250,000 for reportedly trying to entice their own free agent DeAndre Jordan with a Lexus endorsement deal worth $200,000 per year. Jordan agreed to a deal with the Dallas Mavericks that summer but reneged on that agreement to return to Los Angeles.