As the metaphorical dust settles from the Kawhi Leonard/Los Angeles Clippers situation, responses continue to flow in from various corners. The NBA, through its own investigation, declared the Clippers, under the direction of owner Steve Ballmer, tried to circumvent the league’s salary cap.
By issuing the equivalent of a “no-show” job, the Clippers attempted to pay Leonard more. Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the team would lose five first-round draft picks.
NBA Insider Accuses Commissioner of Mishandling League Penalties
Meanwhile, the league fined him $700,000. Other than that, the trade will go through. At the same time, an insider accuses the NBA of one particular misdeed that could resonate with others.
Now a member of the Toronto Raptors, Leonard looks to move on, putting his past in the rearview. His fans seem rather excited to see him receive a lighter penalty. However, insider Ira Winderman from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel draws the distinction between Leonard and the case involving point guard Terry Rozier.
“I am sure the NBA would amply cite the significant differences between the Clippers’ salary-cap circumvention with Kawhi Leonard and the Hornets not making the Heat fully aware of Terry Rozier having been under gambling investigation prior to his January 2024 trade to the Heat.”
On January 23, 2024, the Charlotte Hornets sent the guard to the Miami Heat for a swap of first-round draft picks. Winderman asserts that the league failed to mention that Rozoer was under investigation for gambling. The insider believes that Miami should receive some sort of remedy.
“In a perfect world, the Heat get back the first-round pick still due to the Hornets in 2027 or ’28, perhaps with the Hornets getting one of the forfeited Clippers’ picks.”
As of this writing, the Clippers’ picks have not been reassigned and are assumed inactive. Winderman believes the league won’t do anything to help the Heat because it was their withholding of information, even though the NBA always signs off on any interactions. For example, if a player fails a physical, the NBA voids the contract.
Winderman thinks the league sought to punish the Clippers but chose to ignore the Hornets willingly trading a player they knew was under federal investigation. In essence, league executives chose optics.
“The reality, of course, is the NBA and Adam Silver can’t make all of this go away fast enough.
Rozier may never play again. Miami doesn’t have those picks back. Meanwhile, the Clippers, whose actions are believed to impact how people see the NBA, were hit with a stiff penalty. How the league continues to dole out punishments remains to be seen.
