Report: Clippers face criminal investigation for Kawhi Leonard contracts; Raptors trade still on hold
The Los Angeles Clippers could be dealing with more than just punishment from the NBA for the Kawhi Leonard salary-cap circumvention scandal. The U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn, N.Y., has opened a criminal investigation into allegations that the Clippers helped organize contracts for Leonard that violated salary-cap rules, the New York Times reported Thursday. A spokesman for the office…
The Los Angeles Clippers may be facing a criminal investigation for their involvement in the Kawhi Leonard salary-cap circumvention scandal, according to a report by the New York Times. The U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn, New York, has begun probing allegations that the Clippers assisted in organizing contracts for Leonard that violated salary-cap rules.
The Clippers were already penalized by the NBA for the same issue, losing five first-round picks between 2029 and 2033 and facing a $30 million fine. Additionally, Leonard was fined $700,000. The NBA's decision to allow the Clippers to complete a trade with the Toronto Raptors, despite the punishment, seems to have cleared the way for the deal.
However, the trade has not been officially confirmed yet, as the Raptors have paused it while awaiting the NBA's investigation conclusion. The U.S. attorney's office has previously handled cases involving gambling in professional sports, such as those involving Chauncey Billups and Emmanuel Clase.
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