The Clippers are under investigation by the NBA due to the Kawhi Leonard scandal uncovered by reporter Pablo Torre. Los Angeles owner Steve Ballmer addressed the matter on ESPN shortly after the initial newsbreak, but since that interview took place there have been several developments that cast further suspicious light on Leonard's no-show agreement with Aspiration and Ballmer's investments into the company.
The league's official investigation into the situation began last week. On Tuesday Ballmer appeared at a conference hosted by Sports Business Journal. He was asked about the investigation and said he welcomed it before delivering a four-word message to those watching everything unfold: "This, too, shall pass."
"This is not a fun thing to be through," Ballmer said. "I was personally defrauded through our interactions with the company and some of the staff. The fraud extended broadly through that. ... The important thing is that our relationship with the company and our players' relationship with the company were independent. Which is important under the rules of the NBA. I feel quite confident in that, that we abided (by) the rules. I welcome the investigation that the NBA is doing. It's a great way, from our perspective, to get the facts out there. As I say, there's nothing fun being highlighted in this way. It's more fun being highlighted for building a great arena.
"This, too, shall pass."
"This too shall pass." — Steve Ballmer
— Sports Business Journal (@SBJ) September 16, 2025
Speaking live from our Drive event in LA, Ballmer responded to a question about the NBA's investigation into the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard. pic.twitter.com/KDmXLrPJjk
The NBA is investigating Ballmer's Clippers to see whether the franchise worked with Aspiration to circumvent the salary cap. Commissioner Adam Silver said that doing so is a "cardinal sin" in the NBA, but he was "reluctant to act if there was a mere appearance of impropriety," instead of hard evidence. The investigation should prove whether that evidence exists, and thus determine what punishment is necessary if any.
The Clippers finished with a 50–32 record last season. Leonard played in 37 games; Los Angeles would go on to lose in the first round of the postseason to the Nuggets.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Steve Ballmer Had Four-Word Message About NBA Investigation Into Kawhi Leonard Scandal.
