The NBA finds itself at the center of controversy this week as two high-profile investigations cast a shadow over the league’s Western Conference contenders. With the LA Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder both under scrutiny for very different reasons, fans and analysts are left wondering how these cases might shape the remainder of the 2025-2026 season. The Clippers are facing questions about a major endorsement deal involving star forward Kawhi Leonard, while the Thunder are under the microscope for allegedly resting healthy players during a nationally televised matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.
Let’s start in Los Angeles, where the Clippers’ front office is adamant that the ongoing NBA investigation into Leonard’s $28 million endorsement contract with the now-bankrupt California-based Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC hasn’t changed the team’s approach one bit. "We haven’t learned anything more than we have in September," Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank stated on February 9, 2026. "We know it’s out there, we know at some point there’ll be a decision made. We very much feel the same thing that we told you back in September, that we’re on the right side of this. It really doesn’t impact anything we do on a daily basis."
The probe, first reported by journalist Pablo Torre in September, centers on whether the Clippers violated NBA salary cap rules through Leonard’s endorsement deal. Both Leonard and the organization have forcefully denied any wrongdoing, with Leonard insisting he never received all the money he was owed from Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC. Despite the uncertainty swirling around the investigation, the Clippers have made bold moves on the trade front in recent days, determined to keep their momentum alive.
After a rocky 6-21 start to the season, the Clippers have turned heads by winning 19 of their last 25 games heading into Tuesday night’s clash with the Houston Rockets. But just as fans were starting to believe this team had found its groove, the front office pulled the trigger on two blockbuster deals. James Harden, the veteran guard who shouldered the load during stretches when Leonard was sidelined, was shipped to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for the dynamic Darius Garland. Meanwhile, longtime center Ivica Zubac—who had set career highs last season and was the team’s longest-tenured active player—was traded to the Indiana Pacers for fourth-year wing Bennedict Mathurin and a pair of first-round picks.
Frank revealed that these trades weren’t part of the original plan. "Cleveland called asking for Harden and Indiana sent a ‘Godfather-type offer’ for Zubac," he explained. The decision to let Zubac go was especially emotional. The night before the trade, Frank told Zubac that "a team was getting very, very aggressive" in pursuing him, but he "was kind of hoping they wouldn’t" meet the Clippers’ threshold. Ultimately, the Pacers did, and Zubac’s final visit to the Clippers’ practice facility turned into a heartfelt farewell. "There were a lot of tears," Frank admitted. "It’s hard because we all know what Zu means to us." Adding to the poignancy, Zubac’s wife had just given birth to their first child around the time of the trade. "None of us felt right. He’s a special guy," Frank continued, praising Zubac’s leadership and accountability during tough times.
As for Harden, Frank said the team had discussed the future and recognized that the 36-year-old had logged heavy minutes, often carrying the squad when Leonard was injured. Acquiring Garland, who is a decade younger, allows the Clippers to "win now and still get younger," Frank explained. Leonard, for his part, was "hurt and disappointed" by the trades but has remained "a great partner" throughout the process. "He understands in order to be sustainable, you have to make some really, really hard decisions," Frank said.
While the Clippers await the NBA’s verdict on the Leonard endorsement case, the Oklahoma City Thunder are facing their own league investigation—this time for alleged violations of the NBA’s player participation policy. On February 9, 2026, the NBA announced it was looking into the Thunder’s decision to rest several players during a nationally televised game against the San Antonio Spurs on February 4. The league’s concern? The Thunder fielded only eight players, including five regulars and three two-way players, raising questions about whether some of the absentees could have played.
According to The Oklahoman, the Thunder were without Alex Caruso (right adductor injury management), Ousmane Dieng (not with team, having been traded to Charlotte prior to tipoff), Lu Dort (right patellofemoral joint inflammation), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain), Isaiah Hartenstein (right eye corneal abrasion), Chet Holmgren (low back spasms), Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain), Thomas Sorber (right ACL surgical recovery), Nikola Topić (surgical recovery), and Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain). Caruso, notably, had missed six straight games due to injury, returned for the February 3 contest against Orlando, and then rested against San Antonio on the second night of a back-to-back.
The NBA has clear rules against sitting healthy players, especially during nationally televised games, to maintain competitive integrity and entertainment value. The Thunder, however, are expected to argue that their depleted roster was the result of genuine injuries and recent trades, not a calculated effort to sideline healthy stars. The investigation is ongoing as of February 10, 2026, and the league has yet to announce any findings or potential penalties.
This isn’t the first time the NBA has had to walk the fine line between player health and fan expectations. With the grueling pace of the regular season and the ever-present risk of injury, coaches often face tough decisions about when—and whom—to rest. But when those decisions intersect with league broadcast commitments and the expectations of paying fans, controversy is never far behind. The Thunder’s next game is set for February 16 against the Los Angeles Lakers, and all eyes will be on how the team manages its lineup amid the ongoing scrutiny.
Both investigations highlight the delicate balance NBA teams must strike between chasing wins, managing player health, and complying with league rules. For the Clippers, the outcome of the Leonard endorsement probe could have significant ramifications, not just for the franchise but for league-wide enforcement of salary cap regulations. For the Thunder, the player participation inquiry underscores the challenges of navigating a long season with a battered roster and the league’s desire to keep its biggest stars on the court for marquee matchups.
As of now, both cases remain unresolved, leaving fans, players, and executives in a state of anxious anticipation. Will the Clippers’ recent roster shakeup pay off as they continue their playoff push? Can the Thunder weather the storm of injuries and league scrutiny to stay in the hunt out West? One thing’s for sure: the NBA drama is far from over, and the next few weeks promise plenty of twists and turns for two teams with everything to play for.