A podcast investigation published by *Pablo Torre Finds Out* revealed that NBA star Kawhi Leonard entered into an undisclosed multi-million dollar deal with Daktronics, the company responsible for constructing the video scoreboard at the Los Angeles Clippers’ Intuit Dome. The report alleges the arrangement was designed to circumvent the NBA’s salary cap rules.
The revelation comes amid an ongoing league investigation into previous financial arrangements involving the Clippers franchise. Due to the active inquiry, a pending offseason trade that would send Leonard back to the Toronto Raptors remains on hold while league attorneys review the findings.
Reporting on the investigative findings, *The Japan Times* cited an anonymous source from the podcast who claimed the sponsorship was “1000% a way to circumvent the salary cap… funneling money from the Clippers through Daktronics back to Kawhi”. In addition, *Toronto CityNews* obtained a statement from a Daktronics representative who remarked, “I don’t know what the company wants to say, or can say, given the Wachtell investigation,” referring to the law firm appointed by the NBA.
If proven, salary cap circumvention carries severe penalties under the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, including heavy fines, forfeiture of draft picks, and contract voids. Franchise owners and players should monitor the outcome closely, as the league’s final ruling could set strict new precedents for corporate partnerships in professional basketball.
Source: Pablo Torre Finds Out / Japan Times — https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2026/08/07/basketball/nba/kawhi-leonard-undisclosed-deal-report/,. August 7, 2026
Photo credit: NBC News
