The NBA’s punishment of the Clippers has given Lakers fans plenty to celebrate, but it also opened the door for a new round of skepticism around Kawhi Leonard’s role in the situation.
The league hit the Clippers hard for their part in giving Leonard improper benefits. ESPN reported that the team must forfeit first-round draft picks in 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033.
The punishment also includes a $30 million fine, plus a one-year suspension for Steve Ballmer from all league and team activities “for knowingly seeking to help Mr. Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities,” among other issues.
President of business operations Gillian Zucker was suspended without pay for one year, and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was suspended without pay for six months.
That discipline was enough to satisfy plenty of Lakers supporters, but ESPN’s Shams Charania added another wrinkle when he reported that Leonard was not aware of the extra money being funneled his way.
“And the investigation - I do have to make it clear - did show that Kawhi Leonard did not have any knowledge of this salary cap circumvention that was going on. He had essentially given all of the power to his uncle Dennis Robertson for years now, and Dennis Robertson is now banned from all basketball business moving forward,” Charania said.
Not everyone is buying that explanation. Lakers insider Anthony F. Irwin fired back at Charania’s framing with a blunt message on social media.
“The way these people think we’re all complete idiots is just so infuriating,” Irwin posted.
For Lakers fans, the punishment itself is still the headline, and the chance to watch a rival take a major hit is not going to get old anytime soon. But the bigger question hanging over the story is how alleged extra compensation could have gone unnoticed for so long.
That uncertainty has kept the conversation alive, and Irwin is among those who clearly believe there are still gaps in the story. Charania’s emphasis on Leonard’s lack of knowledge has drawn criticism, and Irwin made it plain that he wasn’t satisfied with that version of events.
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