Following the disappointing announcement that Kawhi Leonard was not selected to the All-Star team, fans are citing the LA Clippers’ 6-21 start as the root cause. However, because the Clippers have progressed into the playoff race, Leonard’s missed honor might be much deeper, and there could be an indirect correlation to the forgotten scandal he is still in, which has impacted public opinion.
For the record, Leonard’s punishment from the NBA was not to miss the All-Star game; there is still no word on an official consequence from commissioner Adam Silver. This investigation was expected to be time-consuming, and roughly five months later, the final verdict is still pending. Nothing has been cemented, and a connection does not exist, just speculation from fans worldwide who are confused, searching for possible reasons for a snub.
Thus, from a public standpoint, there is an argument that he was rightfully left off, as being accused of cap circumvention could have affected the votes that decided whether he would be nominated for the annual game.
Kawhi Leonard sneaking into the game via injury replacement would speak volumes
Although Kawhi Leonard was not voted into the All-Star Game, he could still play. Every year, the names of snubs are added for injury replacement purposes, as some stars are not physically available to play against the best of the best.
Leonard, similar to the LA Clippers’ very own James Harden, along with Keyonte George, Alperen Sengun, Lauri Markkanen, and Dillon Brooks, will be the primary names that could be called up to replace certain All-Stars if they cannot make it.
Each one had a valid campaign, backed by strong performances, yet Leonard had the strongest, averaging 27.7 points and 6.1 rebounds in 34 games for the Clippers.
On the contrary, it is the job of Adam Silver to choose which snub to elevate. Simultaneously, Silver has one of the primary roles in the investigation into Leonard, which has been overlooked on social media due to the fact that the topic for weeks has been LA’s memorable turnaround.
Therefore, Silver’s decision on granting Leonard an All-Star selection in the event of an injury will say a lot.
Nonetheless, Leonard is in a tough position, no matter how you look at it. He clearly deserved to be a reserve on the All-Star team, at the very least, yet, influenced by outside noise, votes could have favored denial.