I do know, it’s water underneath a bridge that refuses to completely drain, however the entire new Kawhi Leonard Saga with the Clippers has introduced every thing from the previous again to gentle. As a fast recap, podcaster Pablo Torre has uncovered paperwork from the chapter filings of controversial firm Aspiration that counsel Clippers proprietor Steve Balmer allegedly circumvented the wage cap through the use of his investments within the firm to pay Leonard as much as $48 million for a no-show sponsorship deal.
Different potential smoking weapons have since been revealed, together with Clippers minority proprietor Dennis Wong randomly investing $2 million himself because the failing firm the was struggling to meet a $1.75 million fee that was owed to Leonard. For his half, Balmer continues declare his innocence, as a substitute saying he’s a sufferer who was defrauded by an organization whose proprietor is now in jail for — you guessed it — fraud. The NBA has employed a top-tier regulation agency to research, and relying on the way it performs out, enormous penalties could possibly be coming for the Clippers, together with huge fines, lack of draft picks, or in essentially the most excessive case, the termination of Leonard’s contract (which might make him a free agent capable of signal with any workforce, presumably for affordable, which might probably flip the league on it’s head).
So, what does this should do with the Spurs? Effectively, poorly saved secrets and techniques that we knew about in 2019 however typically acquired swept underneath the rug are returning to the highlight, and it begs the query if extra went on in 2018 that we haven’t been informed about. It was identified again when Leonard turned a free agent after successful the 2019 championship with the Toronto Raptors that his uncle and “supervisor”, Dennis Robertson, was asking for impermissible advantages from a minimum of the Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers in free company, together with an possession stake within the workforce or associates (such because the Toronto Maple Leafs), entry to a personal jet that will be obtainable to be used 24-7, and different privileges which can be solely obtainable to licensed participant brokers, which Robertson shouldn’t be.
One other not-so-well saved secret is Leonard wished, even demanded to play with Paul George — a commerce neither the Lakers or Raptors had the need and/or personnel to make. Nevertheless, presumably to their very own detriment, the Clippers agreed to make it occur if Leonard signed, sending present MVP and NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Thunder for the over-the-hill George. The commerce didn’t work out nicely, as Leonard and George have been hardly ever wholesome sufficient to play on the identical time, solely successful a complete of three playoff sequence collectively earlier than the latter moved on.
Have you learnt who else Kawhi demanded commerce for PG13? That’s proper, the Spurs. Again in 2019, Leonard revealed straight up that he had “requested” for the Spurs to commerce for George. Odds are they stated no as a result of they already had LaMarcus Aldridge and have been loyal to him (he was their first large get in free company within the fashionable period, and so they had already gone by means of their very own non-public saga with him), plus the Pacers in all probability would have nonetheless demanded extra.
Kawhi asking for his workforce to commerce for a sure participant isn’t too large of deal — it’s turn out to be the norm for stars to try to workforce up by an means essential today — however it does beg the query: if Leonard and Uncle Dennis demanded one thing from the Spurs that they did of a minimum of three different groups when he hit free company, who’s to say additionally they didn’t demand the identical impermissible advantages?
Whereas some could say, “It doesn’t matter anymore, we have now Victor Wembanyama now,” and so forth, it truly does. This saga prompted successful to their fame that also lives on. Even right now, his falling out with the Spurs remains to be outlined as medical mismanagement (typically kindly worded as a “disagreement”) of his knee/quad points regardless of proof that they have been proper (his challenge is persistent, not one thing that could possibly be surgically repaired). Who’s to say opposing entrance places of work don’t use those self same speaking factors with free brokers, telling potential prospects, “Look what occurred to Kawhi. Do you actually need your medical future of their palms?”
Again in 2018, the Spurs launched a few of their story by means of ESPN, however it by no means felt like they honestly stood up and defended themselves, as a substitute simply taking the hit and shifting on. It made sense to an extent: the NBA is a gamers’ league, and so they have been already shedding the PR battle in opposition to Uncle Dennis regardless of their sterling fame, so why make it worse? To not point out, it’s doubtless that they, or a minimum of Gregg Popovich, nonetheless beloved and revered Leonard (with incidents like “Boo Gate” being proof), and so they didn’t need to upend his profession and take the PR hit that will include that as nicely.
Nevertheless, it’s seven years later, and the masks of a quiet participant who “simply wished to hoop” is coming off. His fame is already shot, even when it’s largely the fault of his uncle, so sooner or later, the Spurs must cease caring about him and begin looking for themselves. If any impermissible calls for have been made, they need to converse up and repair their fame as soon as and for all, as a result of it does the truth is nonetheless matter.
Moreover, the one motive they aren’t nonetheless in rebuild mode making an attempt to recuperate from the injury he did is one extraordinarily fortunate ping pong ball bounce in the proper 12 months, and the possibilities of ending their playoff drought (which is at present the second longest within the NBA due to all this) wouldn’t look so sizzling.
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