The Los Angeles Clippers face a franchise-altering decision, and this one won’t be settled on the court. Months after Pablo Torre’s reporting on the Aspiration scandal shook the NBA, potential punishments are coming into focus. According to NBA insider Tom Haberstroh, the league is weighing options that could include voiding Kawhi Leonard’s contract entirely.
If that happens, Leonard becomes an immediate free agent in the middle of a playoff race. For a Clippers team already in transition, that would be catastrophic.
Catastrophic Start to Clippers’ Rebuild
Getty Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers looks on during a game against the Golden State Warriors at Intuit Dome on January 05, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
These potential punishments may sound dramatic, but precedent makes them realistic. On Yahoo Sports Daily, Haberstroh pointed to the Joe Smith salary cap circumvention case as an example of how NBA commissioner Adam Silver could respond.
“Maybe it’s a case where Adam Silver levies some sort of punishment, whether it’s forcing Kawhi Leonard’s contract to be invalidated, and I think that could be one of the things that is on the table,” he said. “That’s what David Stern did with the Joe Smith cap circumvention scandal with the Minnesota Timberwolves decades ago.”
In 2000, the NBA discovered that the Minnesota Timberwolves made an illegal agreement to pay Joe Smith future under-the-table bonuses, bypassing the salary cap. Commissioner David Stern voided the contracts, fined the team $3.5 million, and stripped five first-round draft picks. The decision crippled the franchise. Minnesota made the playoffs only twice more before entering a 13-year postseason drought.
That example is more than a comparison. It shows how one violation can derail a franchise for over a decade. The Clippers cannot afford that type of collapse. The organization already carries the weight of decades of instability under former owner Donald Sterling. His tenure ended in scandal in 2014 after only six playoff appearances in three decades.
Ripple Effect of a Tough Punishment
GettyTeam owner Steve Ballmer of the LA Clippers looks on during the second half of a game against the Toronto Raptors at Crypto.com Arena on January 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The Clippers now sit under the league microscope again. The Aspiration scandal centers on alleged off-the-books compensation, including reported “no-show” payments and equity arrangements tied to Leonard. Owner Steve Ballmer invested heavily in the company during the same period Leonard signed his extension. The optics are damaging. The financial links raise serious salary cap concerns. This development hits at the worst time.
The Clippers traded James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland, who has not debuted yet. They also moved Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers after his All-NBA Defensive Second Team season. The roster has shifted. Draft capital remains limited. The front office had started shaping a youth movement.
Leonard was supposed to serve as the bridge. He could anchor the roster or headline a summer reset. If the league voids his contract, the Clippers lose that flexibility. They lose their best asset overnight. That doesn’t just impact this season. It limits every offseason option.
If Leonard hits free agency before the 2026 NBA Playoffs, the move would break modern precedent. March typically features buyout veterans, not elite two-way stars averaging nearly 28 points per game.
Contenders Lying in Wait
GettyStephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles past the defense of Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of a game at Intuit Dome on January 05, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Haberstroh emphasized the potential chaos for a player of Leonard’s caliber hitting the open market this close to the postseason could consider, while listing a few contenders who would willingly take a swing on the 34-year-old all-star.
“The interesting thing on that is it provides a conundrum where, I think, if Kawhi Leonard is now a free agent, you’re going to see a frenzy for his services with the likes of the Lakers, the Golden State Warriors, or the New York Knicks; they would try to go get Kawhi Leonard at this stage as a free agent. That actually would create more hysteria and chaos around the league than actually forcing the Clippers’ hand.”
The Los Angeles Lakers, who pursued Leonard in 2019 after his championship run with the Toronto Raptors, would likely re-engage. The Golden State Warriors need wing help with Jimmy Butler sidelined and Jonathan Kuminga gone. The New York Knicks continue to search for a final star piece.
One league ruling could reshape the Western Conference playoff picture. Ballmer’s 2019 gamble, trading for Paul George and signing Leonard, was meant to build a dynasty. Instead, it produced two playoff series wins and one Western Conference Finals appearance.
If the NBA voids Leonard’s contract, the Clippers won’t just lose a star. They’ll lose the last return on one of the boldest swings in modern NBA history.
Jalon Dixon Jalon Dixon is a multi-platform sports journalist and content creator specializing in NBA and WNBA coverage. He blends writing, podcasting, and video analysis to deliver accessible, in-depth perspectives on basketball and beyond. More about Jalon Dixon
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