“A competent scammer”: Mark Cuban claims Aspiration co-founder manipulated numbers to conceal ‘fraud’ amid Kawhi Leonard saga

Mark Cuban on Saturday argued that Kawhi Leonard’s disputed deal wasn’t pushed through by Aspiration’s executives or CEO, but instead by co-founder Joe Sanberg, whom he accused of committing financial fraud that hid the company’s actual state.

Earlier on Saturday, Torre released a statement from former high-ranking Aspiration executives saying the $28 million arrangement with Kawhi Leonard, now under scrutiny as a possible salary-cap workaround, had drawn objections from management, who felt it was strategically hard to justify.

In a lengthy tweet aimed at journalist Pablo Torre on X, Cuban likened Sanberg to disgraced financier Bernie Madoff, describing him as a “competent scammer” who hid the truth even from those closest to the company, though he added the motive may not have been about dodging cap rules.

Trending

“The ‘why’ is the question. We don’t know. You think you know. But what you are missing is how the business side works,” Cuban told Torre.

Cuban contended that Sanberg used his grip on Aspiration’s board of directors to silence opposition.

“He could tell anyone what to do. If they disagreed, he could fire them. And he did,” Cuban said.

Although the company’s finance and compliance teams tracked salary-cap matters, Cuban said they were deceived about the larger picture.

“The information they got about the salary cap and KL payments were right, but everything else they knew about the financials and what was happening in the company was wrong,” Cuban said. “If they knew, they would have turned them in. But it was a complete fraud.”

Mark Cuban says he is on Team Ballmer amid Kawhi Leonard saga

Mark Cuban has consistently defended Steve Ballmer and the LA Clippers following Pablo Torre’s reports that salary-cap violations may have occurred, echoing Ballmer’s position that they were duped by Aspiration.

"I’m on Team Ballmer," he said. As much as I wish they circumvented the salary cap, first, Steve isn’t that dumb. ... They got scammed by Aspiration, along with many others. Crimes for which they pleaded guilty last week. ... Scammers do scammy things."

Torre reported the team allegedly funneled $28 million to Leonard through a sham endorsement deal with Aspiration, a collapsed eco-banking startup.

Cuban said the deal was finalized in 2021, before the Intuit Dome opened and just as Leonard signed a $300 million contract. He emphasized that any deal of that size with a new category sponsor would have required NBA approval.

Sam Amick reported that potential sanctions could range from voiding Leonard’s Clippers contract to suspending executives, issuing fines, and possibly even disciplining Leonard himself.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

Know More