The controversy swirling around Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers, which centers on allegations of circumventing the NBA salary cap, continues to dominate headlines. The situation escalated after journalist Pablo Torre released a bombshell report alleging that the star forward and the Clippers were involved in a “no-show” deal with Aspiration, a now-defunct company owned by team owner Steve Ballmer.
In his latest appearance, Torre put the money into perspective, revealing just how much more Leonard was making than some of Hollywood’s highest-paid celebrities.
How Does Kawhi Leonard’s Paycheck Compare to Top Hollywood Stars?
Speaking with Dave DuFour and Sam Amick on “The Athletic Daily,” Torre broke down the stunning details of Leonard’s earnings from Aspiration.
“One of the funniest parts about this whole thing is that you had Leonardo DiCaprio, you had Robert Downey Jr., you had Drake — some of the most charismatic communicators in public in our country (Drake notwithstanding these days, but whatever),” Torre said. “And the guy making more than four times as much as everybody — including Cindy Crawford, Orlando Bloom, blah blah blah –was the worst of all of the athletes in that regard.”
Torre’s comments spotlight Leonard’s tenure with the Clippers, which has been defined as much by his injuries as his on-court performance. The two-time NBA champion has struggled to stay healthy, playing in just 37 games last season. In fact, Leonard has not played more than 70 games in a season since his time with the San Antonio Spurs during the 2016-17 campaign. He appeared in 60 games during his lone season with the Toronto Raptors but has not come close to that number since joining Los Angeles.
Over his six seasons with the Clippers, he missed an entire year with a torn ACL and has surpassed the 60-game mark only once. Across 266 games for the franchise, Leonard has averaged 24.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
When healthy, however, Leonard has consistently shown he can be a dominant force on both ends of the floor. The six-time NBA All-Star offered glimpses of that talent last season, averaging 21.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.6 steals. Despite his individual capabilities, the Clippers have only reached the Western Conference Finals once during his time with the team.
Heading into the new season, the Clippers will rely on seasoned names like James Harden. If Leonard can remain on the court, the team will certainly fancy its chances for a deep playoff run.
For now, the NBA is investigating the accusations. With the league investigating the media reports, only time will tell if the Clippers will be found guilty of breaching salary cap rules.