As the NBA investigates the Los Angeles Clippers over alleged salary-cap circumvention involving Kawhi Leonard’s $28 million “no-show” endorsement deal, a past grievance from former Clippers guard Patrick Beverley has resurfaced, casting fresh scrutiny on team owner Steve Ballmer’s promises and practices.
In a 2024 episode of the Pat Bev Pod, Beverley revealed that when he signed a three-year, $40 million deal with the Clippers in 2019, he turned down a larger $50 million offer from the Sacramento Kings. The deciding factor? A personal promise from Ballmer.
“We go to the meeting at the Ritz in Marina Del Rey and we agree to the three-year, $40 mil,” Beverley said. “And Steve Ballmer goes, ‘With that, I’m gonna give you 94 basketball courts that you could choose to put all around LA.’ That’s fire as f**k!”
According to Beverley, only two of the promised 94 courts were ever built. The COVID-19 pandemic may have disrupted plans, but Beverley says he followed up with his agent asking, “Do I get my 92 courts?”—a question that remains unanswered.
The story, once dismissed as a quirky anecdote, has gained renewed attention amid the Kawhi Leonard scandal. Reports suggest Ballmer may have indirectly facilitated payments to Leonard through Aspiration, a now-bankrupt sponsor, raising questions about off-the-books compensation.
The NBA’s investigation into Leonard’s deal could have serious consequences, ranging from fines to loss of draft picks. But Beverley’s story, though unrelated to salary cap rules, paints a broader picture of how personal promises and informal deals may be woven into the Clippers’ culture.
