Draymond Green is siding with Kawhi Leonard
After nearly a year, the NBA finally ruled on the investigation into allegations of salary cap circumvention regarding the Los Angeles Clippers, owner Steve Ballmer, and Kawhi Leonard.
The Clippers had been stripped of five first-round draft picks, Ballmer was fined $30 million, and Ballmer, Lawrence Frank, and Gillian Zucker were suspended. Ballmer and Zucker, the President of Business Operations, were suspended for a year, while Frank, the President of Basketball Operations, was suspended for six months.
Leonard will pay $700,000 in restitution for improper benefits by the Clippers for his uncle and former business representative, Dennis Robertson. Robertson, who was fired by Leonard in June, is banned from all NBA business dealings.
There is no contract void or suspension for Leonard.
Draymond Green Weighs In
On the Draymond Green Show, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green stated that he was happy the organization got the bulk of the punishment.
“I’m taking Kawhi’s word for what it is, and I’m happy the team got the bulk of the penalty and not Kawhi,” he said.
After the ruling was sent down, Kawhi posted a statement saying, “Integrity and respect for this game are fundamental to who I am. I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family.
I entered into my contract with the Clippers as well as the agreements in question in good faith, fully committed to fulfilling my obligations and with no knowledge of any intent on anyone's part to circumvent the salary cap.”
Kawhi will now head to Toronto after being traded by the Clippers in July. The trade was on hold until the league ruled on the investigation.
Did Kawhi Get Off Easy?
Kawhi was docked what basically amounts to a game check and now gets to head back to Toronto to compete for a championship, leaving the Clippers with five fewer first-round picks after already costing them five first-round picks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander when he signed in 2019.
Maybe Kawhi had no knowledge of what was happening, but there were already questions about the business dealings of his uncle Dennis, who remained part of his circle and his representative until June.
Meanwhile, the Clippers’ future is bleak without five first-round picks and a roster that doesn’t look to be competitive in the next couple of seasons. And all they have to show for it in the Kawhi Era is one trip to the Conference Finals, where Kawhi didn’t even play, and a lot of disappointment.
