Kawhi Leonard’s decision to join the LA Clippers, along with Paul George, sent a shock-wave through the NBA. The league and basketball fans everywhere were left reeling in its wake.
With little precedence for what we all witnessed in the Kawhi Leonard Free Agency saga, it’s not surprising that it has remained a topic of conversation ever since that fateful July 5th night. Talking heads on sports television have found a way to weave it (even loosely) into just about every NBA-related conversation they can, blogs are lighting up daily with spins on it, and it’s been an inescapable topic of conversation for even the most casual of LA Clippers fans.
What was slightly less expected, however, is the fact that it has reportedly come up as a topic of conversation in a meeting between top NBA brass and team owners.
Now, we’ve heard that certain teams feel as though they were played or led astray in their pursuit for Leonard, so it shouldn’t come as that much of a shock. A GM slandering Kawhi, commenting on his leadership skills from behind the shroud of anonymity. Claims of dishonesty. Simply lashing out like the bitter victims of unrequited love.
It’s understandable, to a degree. The Clippers, along with the Lakers and Raptors, were all coveting the best player in basketball and only one was ever going to walk away with his signature. But now, on top of all the slander and salty soundbites, it’s being suggested that Kawhi Leonard and his representation may have secured under-the-table benefits in exchange for signing with the Clippers.
Pundits the likes of ESPN’s own Stephen A. Smith, among others, making unsubstantiated claims about Kawhi’s uncle, Dennis Robertson, requesting things from the Raptors that would violate the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. These things basically amounting to under-the-table freebies of significant monetary value or cash, that would essentially allow the team signing Kawhi to circumvent the NBA’s salary cap by compensating him in a greater capacity than another team would be able to under normal circumstances.
I say again though, unsubstantiated claims. There has been no indication yet from the league as to whether or not they will pursue an investigation into this matter. Such an investigation would involve the turning over of data (cell phones, e-mails, etc.) The purpose of their meeting with team owner’s was for a different purpose entirely and this was likely an off-hand comment that’s being blown out of proportion.
What is maybe the most bothersome part about these claims, though, is that they (directly or indirectly) seek to invalidate all that the Clippers have done to make themselves a destination team. All the hard work that Steve Ballmer, Doc Rivers, Lawrence Frank, and co. have put in over the last five years, molding the Clippers into a team that the greatest talents in the world are even just willing to consider. Suggesting that Kawhi Leonard would seek to join the Clippers not because of the elite front office, scrappy (and legitimately talented) team, or championship-caliber coach, but because they made shady deals to gain an unfair advantage over other teams competing for him. It is, in a word, disrespectful.
Neither the Lakers nor Raptors lost out on Kawhi because he wasn’t going to receive shady, under-the-table deals from them, much less because he was going to receive those things from the Clippers.
The Lakers’ organization did themselves in. Their ownership and front office have been a train-wreck since the passing of the late, great Dr. Jerry Buss. There has been a revolving door of sub-par journeymen with not a playoff appearance or season over .500 to show for it in the last six years. Then, when they finally brought in Magic Johnson to secure LeBron James? He quits abruptly and proceeds to trash the organization and his former co-workers on national television. A bad look to say the least.
Now, you have to hand it to Rob Pelinka. Since Magic’s departure, he has managed to acquire Anthony Davis (which was honestly going to happen either way thanks to Klutch Sports) and put together a respectable team around his two stars.
Kawhi never wanted to play with LeBron in the first place, though. There had been reports of this dating back to last year when Leonard forced his way out of San Antonio. And yet, they willinging let time pass after free agency opened, missing out on other free agents while they waited for Kawhi’s decision. And they really can’t be blamed for at least having a go at Leonard. And the prospect of lining up next to two of the league’s best was actually tantalizing enough for Kawhi to grant them a pitch, but even then, they just couldn’t keep quiet. Blabbing to reporters and violating Leonard’s own clear desire for discretion. Thus eliminating themselves from the race, for all intents and purposes.
In the case of the Raptors, their squad simply wasn’t built to roll smoothly into the future. Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby are very nice young pieces to be certain, but Kawhi Leonard was the difference between that team winning a championship and an early playoff exit. The Raptors were likely aware of Kawhi’s desire to play with more established NBA co-stars and were even approached with a trade by Oklahoma City. They would have been willing to send over Russell Westrbook and Paul George for Pascal Siakam and ancillary pieces/picks, but Masai Ujiri declined. Had they made that move to put Kawhi in the best situation possible, they likely would have seen the superstar re-signing with The Great White North.
The willingness to make a move for Paul George wasn’t the only driving factor in Kawhi Leonard’s decision, though, as we know. Being at home in Southern California and near his family was a big deal for Kawhi. Lou Williams spoke some harsh truths in his appearance on Gilbert Arenas‘ podcast, but they were truths nonetheless. He spoke of his time in Toronto, noting that while the city and its fans are undeniably great, the players in general can’t wait to get back home.
Speaking of various inconveniences that come with playing for a team that not only is in a different country, but that experiences extreme weather conditions during the NBA season. These things may or may not have been quite so significant in Leonard’s own decision-making process, but they surely factored into it. It may not be fair, but sometimes these are the things it can come down to.
Yet, even with all these things working against their competition, this still is not entirely why Kawhi decided to join the Clippers. And why it does a disservice to the job that their front office, coaching staff, and players have done.
The Clippers, over the past few seasons, have assembled one of the NBA’s elite front offices; Steve Ballmer has made all of the right moves, bringing in the right people and providing an environment in which they and the players can thrive; Lawrence Frank and the front office have made some of the most intelligent and thoughtful moves that we’ve ever seen, accumulating the assets necessary to acquire a superstar like Paul George in an extremely short amount of time. Their championship head coach, Doc Rivers, has just put together two back-to-back Coach of The Year-caliber seasons.
They all took what they had and molded this Clippers franchise into one that was tailor-made for Kawhi Leonard, both culturally and financially. Even then, when it wasn’t quite enough — when Kawhi told them exactly what he wanted — they made it happen, no questions asked. Sending a record-breaking amount of picks to OKC, along with the beloved Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari, to immediately vault themselves into title contention.
This end product that the Clippers have wound up with is a testament to everything they’ve done leading up to it. They made all the right moves and said all the right things (even if it cost Doc Rivers a cool $50k) to get their guy. Although respecting his wishes and closing the deal for Kawhi in absolute silence, like no other team was able to, never hurt, either.
Both the Lakers and Raptors had a hand in their own demise, as far as Kawhi Leonard’s free agency goes, just as the Clippers did in convincing him that they would be the ideal landing spot. The Clips didn’t have to slip Kawhi Leonard dirty money or perks for him to decide on them. What they’ve molded their organization into and the lengths to which they were willing to go for him were reason enough for Kawhi to pick the LA Clippers as his home for the foreseeable future. Deal with it.