Key Facts

• Kawhi Leonard was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Toronto Raptors in a big deal involving several players and draft picks.
• The trade is paused due to an NBA investigation into Leonard’s $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration, a “green banking” company that went bankrupt.
• Clippers owner Steve Ballmer had invested $60 million in Aspiration, raising questions about the legitimacy of Leonard’s endorsement deal.
• The NBA hired the law firm Wachtell Lipton to investigate possible salary cap violations and other financial dealings related to Leonard’s contract.
• Investigators are also looking into whether the Clippers paid expenses for Leonard without reimbursement and if Leonard had other hidden endorsement deals.
• NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the investigation has taken longer than expected because of legal issues like bankruptcy court and witness cooperation.
• Silver emphasized that the NBA did not stop the trade; the teams involved chose to delay it due to the ongoing investigation.
• The investigation started nearly 11 months ago and has yet to be completed, but Silver hopes it will finish during the summer before the new season begins.