Kawhi Leonard is reportedly facing a second questionable sponsorship deal scandal — this time involving Daktronics, the scoreboard manufacturer that built the $100 million video board at the Los Angeles Clippers’ Intuit Dome.
What the Report Alleges
According to reporting from Pablo Torre, Daktronics reportedly signed Leonard to a multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal, but investigators say they could find no evidence he actually performed any work under the agreement.
- Torre’s report cites two sources — a “high-level source under contract for Intuit Dome” and a “former high-level Clippers official.”
- Sources allege insiders working on the Intuit Dome project openly joked that the arrangement was a way to get around the NBA salary cap.
- One source reportedly described the structure as funneling money from the Clippers, through Daktronics, and back to Leonard.
- A second source separately confirmed Leonard held a multimillion-dollar deal with Daktronics.
Why Daktronics Stands Out From the Aspiration Case
This isn’t the first sponsorship controversy tied to Leonard. He was previously linked to a similar arrangement with Aspiration, a now-defunct sustainability company that also had lower-value sponsorship deals with celebrities like Robert Downey Jr. and Leonardo DiCaprio.
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Daktronics is different: it’s a business-to-business company that doesn’t sell to everyday consumers, making a celebrity endorsement an unusual fit. A former Daktronics employee reportedly said the company had never done a deal like this in over 20 years there.
Financial Troubles and Possible Conflicts
- Daktronics was reportedly in financial distress in 2023 — around the same period it worked on the Intuit Dome scoreboard.
- The company reportedly used a crisis communications firm also linked to former Clippers co-owner Shelly Sterling and an LLC owned by current owner Steve Ballmer.
NBA Investigation Already Underway
The NBA has been investigating Leonard, Ballmer, and the Clippers through independent law firm Wachtell Lipton since the original Aspiration story broke. That probe has already:
- Paused a planned trade sending Leonard to the Toronto Raptors
- Led the Raptors to be informed they would absorb any risk of sanctions tied to Leonard or his contract
The Clippers have denied any wrongdoing throughout the ongoing saga. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last month he hopes the matter is resolved before the new season, though some reports suggest a resolution may not come until 2027 if the parties involved can’t reach a settlement.
It remains unclear whether the league was already aware of the alleged Daktronics arrangement — but the new report is unlikely to speed up a resolution.
