The Clippers, Kawhi Leonard and the most damaging swing-and-a-miss in NBA history
The Clippers franchise has paid a steep price for bringing aboard Kawhi Leonard in possibly the costliest transaction ever.
The Los Angeles Clippers, under the leadership of Lawrence Frank and guided by superstar Kawhi Leonard, announced a historic signing on July 10, 2019. This move aimed to bring new life to the struggling franchise, with Frank stating, "This is a historic moment for our organization and our fans." However, the deal quickly took a dark turn when the NBA revealed an investigation into alleged salary cap circumvention.
The league found "a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations" related to off-the-books, off-court endorsement deals for Leonard. In response, the Clippers were penalized with the loss of five first-round picks from 2029 to 2033. The investigation into these violations, conducted by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, highlighted the severity of the Clippers' actions, resulting in a significant sanction from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
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