Draymond Green Takes Bold Stance on Kawhi Leonard

The Kawhi Leonard saga is seemingly heading toward a close, as the NBA has levied hefty penalties against Leonard’s former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, for cap circumvention after journalist Pablo Torre’s initial findings led to a lengthy investigation. 

The punishment included a $30 million fine and the loss of five first-round draft picks. Kawhi Leonard was traded from the Clippers to the Toronto Raptors during the investigation, and the transaction was ultimately put on hold after the NBA told the Raptors it would assume the risk of potential penalties related to the investigation. 

Ultimately, the punishment was levied against the Clippers, and the trade is expected to be finalized in the coming days, with Evan Sidery reporting that Leonard is expected to sign an extension in Toronto. 

There is still some curiosity around this situation. Whether Kawhi Leonard knew of the Clippers’ efforts to circumvent the cap is unknown and will likely never be fully clarified. 

One of Leonard’s opponents, Draymond Green, went on his podcast on Friday to defend Leonard, saying that if Leonard didn’t know what was going on, he believes him. 

Green said not every endorsement deal that comes across a player’s desk gets a full background check or is combed through by agents and lawyers; if a player is told he can make a bunch of money by signing, he’ll make sure he ends up making that money. 

Green also pointed out that Daktronics is a real, reputable company that has products in almost every stadium in the country. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) opened an investigation into Daktronics on Wednesday to find out about its involvement in the Clippers’ attempt to circumvent the cap. 

The Golden State Warriors forward is happy the Clippers received the brunt of the punishment, not Leonard, as the NBA markets itself as a league that takes care of its players, and if it wants to avoid scenarios like this in the future, it needs to fix the salary cap. 

Leonard didn’t avoid punishment completely, as he has to pay $700,000, which Green basically called restitution. All things considered, he got off pretty scot-free given that he will make over $50 million in 2026-27. Leonard not receiving a suspension is a massive win for him and the Toronto Raptors, and Green was very happy he didn’t get that kind of punishment. 

If everything continues as most expect and the Leonard-to-Toronto trade is finalized, Toronto would have a very competitive roster for the upcoming year.