"Seemed like a match made in heaven" - Steve Ballmer explains Clippers' $330 million business deal with Aspiration amid critical investigation

After a damning report about potential salary cap rules violations by the LA Clippers, team owner and billionaire Steve Ballmer has broken his silence. Ballmer explained why the Clippers signed a sponsorship deal with Aspiration, the same company he invested in, and allegedly signed Kawhi Leonard to a "no-show" contract.

Speaking to ESPN's Ramon Shelburne, Ballmer opened up about why he decided to accept a $330 million sponsorship contract with Aspiration. It was a no-brainer for the former Microsoft CEO because it wasn't a naming rights deal, and their values aligned with the former tree-planting service company.

"To me, it seemed like a match made in heaven, if you will," Ballmer said. "And then they offered us an unbelievable sum of money, $330 million, that by itself, one of the biggest sponsorship deals ever done, and it wasn't naming rights. ... We had a fantastic deal with a company that fit with stuff we care about personally."

Steve Ballmer was also adamant about being a victim of Aspiration, which defrauded a lot of investors. Ballmer poured $50 million into the company, led by co-founders Joe Sanderg and Andrei Cherny.

As for Kawhi Leonard, Aspiration signed him to a $28 million endorsement deal. Leonard was one of several high-profile celebrities who formed a partnership with the company, like Drake and Robert Downey Jr.

However, Drake and Downey posted about their affiliation with Aspiration on social media as part of the contract they signed. Leonard, on the other hand, hasn't made a single post about it, with a former employee revealing on Pablo Torre's podcast the scoop on the matter.

Hashim Mteuzi, PMP

@Mteuzi

Aspiration is now bankrupt. Court filings list Kawhi’s LLC among its biggest creditors, owed $7M. ​Former employees say they were told this deal existed to get around the salary cap. ​In plain English: a hidden payout to make the Clippers deal the most attractive and lock it in.

A part of the finance department, the ex-employee explicitly said on record that the LA Clippers arranged Leonard's deal with Aspiration to circumvent the salary cap. The NBA is now investigating the matter, and the Clippers could be in real trouble if they are found guilty, as reported by Yahoo! Sports.

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Steve Ballmer hasn't spoken to Kawhi Leonard after Aspiration exposé

Steve Ballmer hasn't spoken to Kawhi Leonard after Aspiration exposé. (Photo: GETTY)

In the same interview with Ramona Shelburne, Steve Ballmer was asked if he had spoken to Kawhi Leonard since the report on his alleged "no-show" contract with Aspiration was released on Wednesday. Ballmer hasn't talked to his player, explaining why it's not really something they need to discuss.

"I have not, no," Ballmer said. "It's really his business with Aspiration, so you know? I wouldn't ask about it, no."

Ballmer also welcomed the NBA's investigation and would have wanted it if a different team were involved in an alleged manipulation of the salary cap.