No plan to move 2026 All-Star Game despite Clippers salary cap probe

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Monday there is no plan to move the 2026 All-Star Game from the Clippers' Intuit Dome as the league investigates whether the Los Angeles Clippers circumvented salary cap rules related to star forward Kawhi Leonard. The league opened the investigation last month after allegations that Leonard signed a $28 million endorsement agreement with Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC, a California-based company that has since filed for bankruptcy and had financial ties to Clippers ownership.

The probe is being conducted by outside counsel from the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, the league said. Potential penalties for confirmed violations under NBA rules can include fines up to $7.5 million, the voiding of player contracts, and the forfeiture of future draft picks. Silver said planning for All-Star weekend is proceeding independently of the investigation and that there is no contemplation of relocating the event.

The endorsement deal at the center of the inquiry was reported to involve payments to Aspiration following a substantial investment by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and a later partnership between the team and the company. Team executives,...