At Los Angeles Clippers practice facility, a startling exposé surfaced today alleging that Kawhi Leonard received a $28 million “no-show job”—an endorsement deal with a defunct, celebrity-backed tree-planting company, Aspiration—reportedly orchestrated by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer to circumvent NBA salary cap rules.

The report, first broken by Pablo Torre on Pablo Torre Finds Out, reveals that Aspiration’s March 2025 bankruptcy filing listed KL2 Aspire LLC—a company managed by Leonard himself—as a creditor. The contract allegedly stipulated four annual payments of $7 million to Leonard from 2022 through 2025, despite no evidence he ever promoted or even publicly acknowledged Aspiration.

Investigative findings revealed that Aspiration received a $50 million infusion from Ballmer—funds that apparently made the $28 million payment possible. A former Aspiration finance worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the deal was designed “to circumvent the salary cap, lol.”

“This was to circumvent the salary cap,”
— an inside source speaking on Pablo Torre’s show

The Clippers have officially denied any wrongdoing. In a statement to Torre, the team asserted that “neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the salary cap or engaged in misconduct related to Aspiration,” calling any claim otherwise “provably false.”

As the NBA watches closely, fans and analysts alike are drawing uneasy comparisons to the Joe Smith Timberwolves cap scandal of 2000—where salary cap violations resulted in hefty fines and draft pick forfeitures. Should the league confirm the allegations, the Clippers could be facing unprecedented consequences.

At EA Sports’ headquarters in Redwood City, Madden NFL 26 received its official release date after months of fan speculation: the game will launch worldwide on August 14, 2025, with a three-day early access window for Deluxe Edition and MVP Bundle pre-orders running from August 11–14 EA NewsElectronic Arts Inc..

Madden NFL 26 was first unveiled on April 24, promising breakthrough, AI-driven innovations built “from Sundays” to deliver the most authentic Madden experience yet. The title introduces Coach DNA—real NFL philosophies and playcalling tendencies powered by nearly a decade of data—and dynamic Football Weather that alters conditions in real time EA News.

Pre-order incentives are generous: in addition to the early access window, Deluxe and MVP buyers receive 4,600 Madden Points at launch, exclusive Ultimate Team Solo Challenges, and monthly drops of 500 Madden Points for EA Play Pro subscribers from August 2025 through July 2026 Electronic Arts Inc.+1.

“Madden NFL 26 represents a leap forward in delivering the authenticity and control our players crave,”
— Daryl Holt, SVP and Group GM, EA SPORTS EA News

Yet some fans have voiced concerns over the EA Play Pro requirement to claim early-access content and debated the pacing of in-game microtransactions following the closed beta, sparking lively threads across Reddit and Twitter.

Madden NFL 26 will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows (via EA App, Steam, and Epic), and—for the first time in over a decade—Nintendo Switch 2, setting the stage for what EA hopes will be its most immersive gridiron simulation to date.

At AT&T Stadium offices, Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons officially requested a trade on August 1, 2025, capping a tense contract standoff filled with drama, public sparring, and potential blockbuster implications.

Parsons began the offseason quietly, letting his on-field dominance speak for itself, only for negotiations to stall over guarantees and contract structure—leaving both sides publicly at odds as the deadline loomed.

The Cowboys attempted a countermove, unveiling a revised extension offer late last week, but Parsons took to social media to announce that he “no longer want[s] to play for the Cowboys,” dramatically shifting leverage in his favor.

“We always believed we could bridge the gap. This organization knows how to build champions and how to work through tough moments.”
— Stephen Jones, Cowboys Executive Vice President

Yet Parsons refused to relent, missing voluntary OTA practices in full pads as a statement of principle—and prompting internal criticism over his timing and tactics.

Tensions boiled over when reports emerged that Parsons’ camp leaked negotiation details to stir rival interest, sparking discontent in Dallas. With other playoff contenders now circling, the Cowboys face a pivotal decision: relent on their terms or risk losing one of the NFL’s premier defenders before Week 1.