LAS VEGAS -- NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday he remains "hopeful" the investigation into Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers for alleged salary cap circumvention will conclude "this summer," adding that the league was not responsible for holding up a reported trade that would have sent the seven-time All-Star forward to the Toronto Raptors.
"This [investigation] needs to be wrapped up before the beginning of next season," Silver said while addressing reporters after a meeting of the NBA's board of governors. "It's going on longer than I would have hoped, there's no question about that."
Silver said that the league's general counsel continues to receive weekly updates about the investigation from the Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz law firm, but that he is not yet aware of the firm's conclusions because its "report is not done."
The NBA instructed the law firm in September to investigate allegations that the Clippers funneled money to Leonard through his $28 million endorsement deal with now-bankrupt green banking company Aspiration, which also had a $300 million, 23-year endorsement deal with the team. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who invested $60 million in Aspiration, has denied he had knowledge of Leonard's deal.