The NBA is taking the Kawhi Leonard-Clippers endorsement scandal seriously.

The league hired the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz to investigate allegations that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and Leonard circumvented the salary cap with a $28 million no-show marketing deal with a company called Aspiration, The Athletic reported Friday .

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz is the same law firm the league hired to investigate former Clippers owner Donald Sterling and ex-Suns owner Robert Sarver, both of whom faced misconduct charges before their tenures came to an end.

Owner Steven Ballmer of the LA Clippers looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on March 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images

The allegations first surfaced in an

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