The owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, Steve Ballmer, has publicly denied any wrongdoing regarding an alleged endorsement agreement linked to Kawhi Leonard. In an interview with ESPN, Ballmer expressed his support for the NBA’s investigation into claims of bypassing salary cap regulations involving a $28 million endorsement contract from a sustainability firm in California.

Ballmer emphasized the importance of adhering to salary cap guidelines, stating, “Salary cap circumvention rules are important to the league, and I’d want the league to investigate.”

Moreover, Ballmer acknowledged his previous investment of $50 million in Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC and stated that he had introduced Leonard to the now-defunct company. This interaction is under scrutiny as part of a separate investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. Last month, co-founder Joseph Sanberg admitted guilt following accusations of wire fraud, amid claims of defrauding investors.

The Clippers have firmly refuted any rules violations following an investigative report by journalist Pablo Torre. Earlier, the club entered a $300 million partnership with Aspiration shortly after Leonard secured a major contract extension. However, the relationship was terminated after two years due to a breached contract.

The league is known to impose severe sanctions for any confirmed rules violations, which could involve substantial fines or the forfeiture of contracts and draft picks.