LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is getting more attention this offseason for his alleged off-court deals. This time around, it’s for an unusual request made by his advisor/uncle Dennis Robertson (“Uncle Dennis”), who allegedly asked for an ownership stake in the Toronto Maple Leafs during his 2019 free agency while with the Raptors.According to new reports by Toronto Star columnist Bruce Arthur, Uncle Dennis asked for an ownership stake in the Maple Leafs in a way to avoid directly requesting a piece of the Raptors."Sources in Toronto say, in one meeting, Uncle Dennis asked for an ownership stake in the Toronto Maple Leafs, because that way he wasn’t asking for a piece of the Raptors."The request was reportedly shut down and explained as impossible because both teams are owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE).Kawhi Leonard was in high demand after he led the Raptors to a championship title in 2019. With teams queuing up for his signature, Robertson reportedly asked teams for things that would violate NBA rules, from part ownership to a private plane available at all times, a house and guaranteed off-court endorsement money, allegedly in an attempt to get The Claw to sign for them.Leonard eventually joined the Clippers and the league looked into his recruitment but said it found no evidence that they granted such requests.On Sept. 3, journalist Pablo Torre reported that Kawhi’s LLC (KL2 Aspire) signed a $28 million endorsement deal, about $7 million/year starting in 2022, with Aspiration, a now-bankrupt company in which Clippers owner Steve Ballmer had invested. Bankruptcy filings list both the Clippers and KL2 Aspire among Aspiration’s creditors.Torre’s reporting alleged that Kawhi Leonard did little or no promotional work, and a former employee characterized the arrangement as intended to skirt the salary cap.The NBA announced it was opening an investigation into whether the arrangement violated cap-circumvention rules. Later, the Clippers and Ballmer denied any wrongdoing.What’s next for Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers?While Kawhi Leonard is yet to comment on the allegations involving his off-court deals, the Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer have issued statements to deny the allegations.Kawhi Leonard and Steve Ballmer (Credits: Getty)The league has officially hired the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz to conduct a formal investigation into the $28 million endorsement deal between Kawhi’s KL2 Aspire LLC and Aspiration.If found culpable, the league could impose stiff penalties under its Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Penalties may range from fines, potentially up to $4.5 - 7.5 million, forfeiture of draft picks, voiding his contract and/or executive or ownership suspensions.