As the NBA’s investigation drags on, more details continue to emerge on the Clippers‘ shady dealings with Kawhi Leonard and his associates. In the most recent revelation, Pablo Torre dropped the newest bombshell that only adds more questions to a highly complex situation.
According to Torre, Kawhi’s “Uncle Dennis” reportedly threatened to fire Leonard’s personal trainer on the Clippers if he didn’t pay a 10% “agent fee.” The Clippers reportedly not only knew about the arrangement but actively agreed to it as a way of getting more money to Uncle Dennis directly.
Considering that Dennis was not actively employed by the Clippers, it’s a highly unusual practice that suggests he has some unwritten authority on the team. It’s just one of what appears to be multiple backdoor dealings involving Kawhi, with former team GM Michael Winger questioning, “How many f**king side deals have we made with Kawhi?”
The whole operation seems to be built on different LLCs developed by Kawhi’s team. From ‘KL2 Performance’ to ‘KL2 Aspire,’ these companies are a way for Kawhi and Uncle Dennis to get paid by the Clippers off the books and in less than straightforward means. Using these companies, they’ve seemingly earned millions in kickback deals while securing a secret position of power within the franchise.
With the way things are going so far, this case doesn’t look good for the Clippers. As much as they try to deny circumventing the salary cap, it’s looking more and more like they knew the kind of shady dealings Kawhi was up to. Besides getting paid by a fraudulent tree-planting company, which was owned by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, Kawhi’s “Uncle Dennis” has a history of illegal demands, including an ownership stake of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Multiple Clippers executives are tied to these secret backdoor payments, which go well beyond the typical endorsement deals. This newly discovered evidence about Leonard’s former trainer only makes the Clippers look worse, but only the NBA knows where the investigation currently stands.
With no word on how things are progressing, the Clippers find themselves in a precarious situation. After giving up James Harden and Ivica Zubac, they are seemingly on the verge of a rebuild that could result in a Kawhi Leonard trade this summer. If they end up losing their draft picks, however, it could be a devastating punishment for the franchise. What’s worse is that they risked everything for a team that’s never even made the Finals.
