Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration row: LA Clippers' old post resurfaces with bizarre ‘Becca Destreee’ link

The Los Angeles Clippers have been accused of circumventing NBA salary cap rules by paying Kawhi Leonard $28 million for a job that didn't exist

Published on: Sep 4, 2025, 01:53:31 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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The Los Angeles Clippers have been accused of circumventing NBA salary cap rules by paying Kawhi Leonard $28 million for a job that didn't exist, according to allegations in the Pablo Finds Out podcast on Wednesday. Journalist Pablo Torre cited legal documents to report that the six-time All-Star was paid through a now-bankrupt tree-planting company called Aspiration, in which Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was a key investor.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, right, looks toward the scoreboard (AP)

Now, the Clippers' old post tagging Aspiration in a birthday post for Kawhi Leonard. However, fans noticed something really bizarre. The Aspiration account mentioned in the post opens to X user - Becca Destreee. We currently do not know who Becca Destreee is or what that means.

The Clippers swiftly rejected the claim, issuing a statement that read: “Neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to Aspiration. Any contrary assertion is provably false.”

NBA spokesman Mike Bass told ESPN, “We are aware of this morning’s media report regarding the LA Clippers and are commencing an investigation.”

An unnamed employee who purportedly worked for Aspiration told Torre that the payment to Leonard ‘was to circumvent the salary cap’.

Leonard, a two-time NBA champion with the Spurs and Raptors, joined the Clippers in 2019 after leading Toronto to its first title. He turned down a larger offer from the Raptors in free agency, opting instead to return home to Los Angeles to team up with Paul George.

The six-time All-Star extended his Clippers tenure in January 2024, signing a three-year deal reported to be worth $153 million.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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