Vince Staples’ ideas about Kawhi Leonard’s “no-show job” with a tree-planting firm have gotten the cosign from Pablo Torre, who advised the world concerning the shady endorsement within the first place.
Staples spoke about being part of a recruiting pitch (an animated brief video) for Leonard on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, revealing how the Los Angeles Clippers’ group was desperate to get Leonard to affix the crew.
“They was doing the most, man,” mentioned Staples, referring to the crew’s entrance workplace. “They really wanted him to come to the team, and I think it was a good plan.”
Afterwards, Staples and the present’s hosts began joking concerning the allegations from Torre, who claimed that Leonard signed a $28 million cope with a tree-planting firm funded by Clippers proprietor Steve Ballmer, in a transfer that has since raised questions on Leonard’s NBA contract.
“Nobody wants to take the case, man,” mentioned Staples. “They should have planted them trees, bro. Everything would have been different. Somebody could have planted them trees.”
“They could have went down to Home Depot got them some joints,” added Staples, referring to Leonard and Ballmer. “Twenty dollars a piece, fifty dollars a piece. Put them trees in the ground, and everything would’ve went away.”
Torre reposted a clip of Staples speaking concerning the scenario and agreed with what he mentioned, writing on X, “I’ve been waiting for [Staples] to weigh in on the Aspiration/Ballmer/Kawhi investigation and he is, in fact, not wrong.”
During a September episode of Pablo Torre Finds OutTorre discussed his findings about Leonard’s mysterious deal with the “tree brokerage” company Aspiration. In March, Aspiration filed for bankruptcy, with one of the creditors being KL2 Aspire LLC, which belongs to Leonard. While Torre noted that KL2 was a creditor for $7 million, he revealed that Leonard didn’t endorse Aspiration, unlike other celebrities like Drake and Robert Downey Jr.
Torre added that the deal was effective from 2022, contingent on Leonard remaining with the Clippers. Torre claimed that Aspiration’s employees told him the deal was “to circumvent the salary cap.”
In a press release, the Clippers denied the allegations.
“Neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to Aspiration,” the crew mentioned. “Any contrary assertion is provably false.”