Clippers Owner Ballmer Suspended One Year Over Cap Violations

Daktronics' acting CFO Howard Atkins confirmed Wednesday that both the SEC and the NBA have requested information from the company about its dealings with Kawhi Leonard.

• $28 million, four-year contract tied Leonard to endorsement company Aspiration.
• $1.75 million payment to Leonard came nine days after a Clippers minority owner invested in Aspiration.
• Daktronics designed the video board inside the Clippers' Intuit Dome arena.
• A pending Leonard-to-Toronto trade has been frozen pending the NBA's findings.

Why it matters: The core allegation is that the Clippers funneled money to Leonard through outside endorsement arrangements to get around the league's salary cap.

• The Aspiration contract included a clause allowing Leonard's company to decline any work while still receiving payments, contingent on him remaining a Clipper.

How 50 sources split on this story

Where they split: Coverage does not split on facts; both outlets rely on the same earnings-call disclosure and prior reporting by journalist Pablo Torre.

What’s next: It is unclear whether the SEC inquiry will further delay release of the NBA's investigation findings.

• The Raptors must agree to assume penalty risk before the Leonard trade can close.
• What penalties, if any, will the NBA impose on the Clippers or Leonard?
• Will the SEC inquiry delay or complicate the NBA's own investigation timeline?
• Will the Toronto trade ultimately be completed, and on what terms?