The 2019 free agency chase for Kawhi Leonard already felt like a Hollywood script. Now, leaked voicemails and text messages have added another layer to one of the most dramatic recruitment battles in modern NBA history.
According to audio and messages revealed by Pablo Torre, Clippers executive Jerry West made his pitch clear. If Kawhi went to the Lakers, West believed he would never truly be the face of the franchise.
“You know, I really want to thank you a lot for trying to help. I heard this morning that everyone over in the Lakers camp thinks they’re going to get him. I just find it hard to believe that he would want to go to that s**t show, where he couldn’t even get his name in the paper, and he wouldn’t be the face of the franchise.”
“That’s for sure. He might be the best player on the team, but I hope things are well. And, well, again, I really, really appreciate everything you’ve done.”
💬if he would go to the Lakers he would be Lebrons caddy💬
Jerry West’s texts and voicemails recruiting Kawhi were wild.
Then Steve Ballmer entered the chat. pic.twitter.com/NKRjoQ8I7U
— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) February 11, 2026
In a follow-up text, West was even more blunt:
“Just wanted to thank you for your help. If he would go to the Lakers, he would be LeBron’s caddy.”
That line captured the core of the Clippers’ pitch. This was not just about basketball. It was about legacy, control and about being the guy.
At the time, the Lakers had LeBron James and had just traded for Anthony Davis. Adding Kawhi would have created an overwhelming superteam. On paper, it looked unstoppable. Yet West and the Clippers leaned into something different.
They framed the Lakers as chaotic and star-driven around LeBron. No matter how great Kawhi was, he would still be sharing the spotlight.
West’s argument was simple. With the Clippers, Kawhi could build something that was his. With the Lakers, he would always be co-starring in LeBron’s production.
This was not a passive recruitment. The Clippers reportedly offered a massive haul to land Paul George at Kawhi’s request, sending out five first-round picks, two pick swaps, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Thunder. That was the price of admission.
And still, until the final hours, nothing was guaranteed.
The irony is hard to ignore. West called the Lakers a ‘s*** show.’ In the bubble the following season, the Lakers won the championship. Meanwhile, the Clippers famously collapsed in the playoffs.
The Clippers never reached the promised land. Their best run came in 2021, when they made the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. That was supposed to be the breakthrough. Instead, it became the high-water mark.
Since then, it has largely unraveled.
Kawhi Leonard has missed roughly 42% of his Clippers games due to injury. Load management turned into long-term absences.
Since then, the saga has only grown messier. Allegations surfaced that Kawhi was tied to a sham company names Aspiration secretly bankrolled by Steve Ballmer. Additional fraud claims totaling tens of millions of dollars have been raised and strongly denied.
Reports also resurfaced that Kawhi’s uncle, Dennis Robertson, asked the Raptors for a stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment during free agency
The NBA are investigating as the Clippers denied wrongdoing. Kawhi maintained that outside figures had nothing to do with his decision.
But the leaked messages pull back the curtain on how intense that recruitment truly was. It shows West, a Lakers legend turned Clippers executive, doing everything possible to keep Kawhi from crossing the hall at Staples Center.
In the end, Kawhi chose the Clippers.
Whether that gamble ultimately worked is still debated. But one thing is certain. For a few days in July 2019, the richest owner in sports and one of the greatest executives in league history were waiting on Kawhi Leonard’s word.
