The Los Angeles Lakers are grateful for missing out on Kawhi Leonard in 2019, particularly as the Los Angeles Clippers face an NBA investigation over an alleged salary cap circumvention linked to the former All-Star.
A Lakers source told Lakers Daily that while the team once pursued Leonard aggressively, they now view the Clippers’ ongoing headaches with a mix of sympathy and relief.
“We wanted him in 2019, but we count our blessings all the time he’s not here,” the source said. “He’s been such a headache for the Clippers. I actually feel bad for them sometimes.”
Leonard Snub Linked to LeBron James
The comments follow a report from the Toronto Star’s Bruce Arthur, which revealed Leonard turned down the Lakers because he did not want to play alongside LeBron James.
“Leonard didn’t want to play with LeBron James, so the Lakers were a third wheel in the sweepstakes,” Arthur wrote.
At the time, Leonard was the NBA’s top player, fresh off leading the Toronto Raptors to their first championship by defeating a Golden State Warriors team that had dominated James during his second stint in Cleveland.
Clippers Land Leonard, But Injuries Loom
Instead of pairing with James in Los Angeles, Leonard signed with the Clippers and helped recruit fellow L.A. native Paul George through a blockbuster sign-and-trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder that also sent future MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Oklahoma City. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, one of the wealthiest in the league, backed the deal.
The partnership has been marred by injuries, with Leonard and George missing significant time. George left in free agency last year, and Leonard’s tenure has been further complicated by the current NBA investigation into a $28 million endorsement deal with the now-bankrupt company Aspiration, which a whistleblower alleged to Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast was structured to circumvent the salary cap.
Clippers Deny Wrongdoing
The Clippers have denied any wrongdoing.
“Neither Mr. Ballmer nor the Clippers circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to Aspiration,” the team said in a statement, adding that ties with Aspiration were severed in 2023 after the company defaulted on its obligations.
According to The Athletic, the NBA probe could result in severe penalties, including fines, suspension of executives, loss of draft picks, and potentially voiding Leonard’s contract if the Clippers are found guilty. Leonard himself could face fines up to $350,000 and may be required to return money tied to the deal unless he proves he was unaware of any violations.
Dodging a Bullet
A league executive told Lakers Daily that missing out on Leonard may have spared the Lakers significant headaches.
“The Lakers wanted Kawhi badly,” the executive said. “Boy, they dodged a massive bullet by not landing him. You think Rich [Paul] and LeBron are hard to deal with? Uncle Dennis (Dennis Robertson) is even worse. He thinks Kawhi is the second coming of Jesus.”
For the Lakers, who have since won a championship with James and Anthony Davis, who they later flipped for Luka Dončić, the near-miss with Leonard now looks more like a stroke of luck than a lost opportunity, especially as the Clippers navigate the fallout from injuries and the current investigation.
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