Kawhi Leonard, Clippers Accused Of Inking Bogus Endorsement Deal To Avoid NBA Salary Cap

5:20 PM PT -- The Los Angeles Clippers released a lengthy statement Wednesday evening addressing the allegations ... saying the idea Ballmer invested in Aspiration to "funnel money to Kawhi Leonard is absurd."

"Steve invested because Aspiration co-founders presented themselves as committed to doing right by their customers while protecting the environment."

The statement goes on to say that neither the team nor Steve had "any knowledge of improper activity by Aspiration" -- which was a team sponsor from the 2021 to the 2023 seasons before defaulting on their contract -- "or its co-founder until after the government initiated its investigation."

"There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing endorsement deals with players on the same team. Neither Steve nor the Clippers organization had any oversight of Kawhi’s independent endorsement agreement with Aspiration. To say otherwise is flat-out wrong."

It closes with L.A. saying they "welcome" the league's investigation into Aspiration ... and will continue "to cooperate with law enforcement in its investigation into Aspiration's blatantly fraudulent activity."

12:53 PM PT -- The NBA just announced it is launching an investigation into the claims made in Pablo Torre's report.

Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers are under fire, accused of circumventing the NBA's salary cap with a huge, no-show endorsement deal ... but the team is firing back, calling BS on the allegations!

In the report from Pablo Torre -- who drew the ire of Jordon Hudson earlier this year -- Leonard is accused of signing a $28 million deal with a now bankrupt company, Aspiration, that was at least partially funded by the billionaire owner of the Clips, Steve Ballmer ... as a way around salary cap restrictions.

If true, that's obviously a huge no-no as far as NBA rules go.

Despite the lucrative deal, Torre says he was unable to find any instance where Kawhi worked with the tree planting company.

And Torre says a former employee, who worked in the finance department, admitted the deal existed solely as a workaround so the Clippers could spend more money on the future Hall of Famer.

"The single largest payment to an individual for marketing that Aspiration ever made has completely evaded all press," the ex-employee told Torre.

When those payments were made, the money was allegedly sent to Kawhi's uncle and advisor, Dennis Robertson. He was previously investigated by the NBA but ultimately cleared of wrongdoing in a separate alleged incident.

The Clippers, however, are flat out calling the allegations a bunch of nonsense ... saying "neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to Aspiration."

"Any contrary assertion is provably false."

Neither the NBA nor Leonard has commented on the situation.