Clippers dispute shocking allegations brought forth by former employee

On Thursday afternoon, LA Clippers fans were still busy thinking about an incredible opening night at Intuit Dome when a shocking announcement was made. Chris Haynes reported that former Clippers trainer Randy Shelton is suing the organization for wrongful termination, among other allegations.

This comes after Shelton was supposedly fired following making complaints that Kawhi Leonard "was being subjected to unsafe and illegal treatment for injuries." There is a lot to unpack here, but there seem to be several reasons to doubt the claims made by the former team trainer.

Haynes also told us that the Clippers had issued him a statement disputing Shelton's allegations: "Mr. Shelton's claims were investigated and found to be without merit. We honored Mr. Shelton’s employment contract and paid him in full.  This lawsuit is a belated attempt to shake down the Clippers based on accusations that Mr. Shelton should know are false.”

The Clippers were quick to dispute former trainer's claims

It will of course take time before this matter is officially settled in a court of law, but based on the evidence we currently have, there is some information that does not line up to the claims Shelton is making. One of the attorneys representing the former team trainer issued this statement to Haynes: "We hope that our client’s lawsuit will serve as a wakeup call to the Clippers organization that their players are not just dollar values, but are humans requiring proper - and not hastened - health and recovery treatment for the careers and lives afterwards.”

It certainly would seem like a stretch to say that Kawhi Leonard's injury treatments have been hastened. He has missed 179 out of a possible 435 games since becoming a member of the Clippers in 2019. If anything, it seems more likely that the Clippers' medical staff took extra time and erred on the side of caution when deciding if he could play or not. Additionally, the player has the final say in whether they actually take the floor or not, and a doctor or trainer cannot force them to play.

This news is still fresh, and more details are bound to come out soon. But in the meantime, the evidence presented here feels relatively weak, and it feels unlikely that the Clippers have committed malpractice in taking care of Leonard's health. The active frustration from LA's fanbase about Kawhi sitting out for extended periods will likely dismiss these allegations from the minds of many.