Los Angeles Clippers followers are little question bracing for what might be a chronic state of affairs involving Kawhi Leonard. Leonard and the Clippers are presently being investigated by the NBA for alleged wage cap circumvention, and that would carry properly into the season.
That’s dangerous information for the Clippers, who will probably be left ready for the opposite shoe to drop so far as potential punishments. If the allegations of Leonard receiving as much as $48 million in further wage off the books are true, then the Clippers might have the e book thrown at them.
There’s the Joe Smith state of affairs involving the Minnesota Timberwolves again within the day. But when confirmed, this might be falling away a lot worse. That’s what scares the Clippers and their followers.
What is going to the NBA’s punishment be for Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers?
Commissioner Adam Silver has a variety of latitude when figuring out punishment within the occasion he finds whereas doing. Nonetheless, two of the most certainly situations each contain Los Angeles getting completely pummeled by the league.
One state of affairs would see the Clippers stripped of their 2026 and 2028 decide swaps in addition to their 2030, 2031, and 2032 first-round picks. That may go away them with out a first-round decide for the subsequent 8 years till 2033.
Additionally, Leonard might have his contract voted on and probably even be suspended by the league, although that latter punishment appears much less possible. Nonetheless, if the Clippers are left with out a first for the higher a part of a decade and immediately haven’t got their greatest participant, then they might be thrust into a troublesome state of affairs.
The Los Angeles Clippers are bracing for a Leonard punishment
The Clippers have constructed a surprisingly stable roster round Leonard regardless of not having many belongings following the Paul George commerce that introduced him to Los Angeles. However, if Leonard immediately is not on the Clippers, then they might be in enormous bother with them not having an apparent fallback plan.
Moreover, Steve Ballmer might additionally face punishment for his alleged function within the scandal, which might embody a year-long suspension. These attainable punishments would certainly put a damper on the Clippers’ plans of utilizing cap house within the summers of 2027 and 2028. In any case, potential free agent targets could be turned off by the aftereffects of the Leonard scandal.
For the Clippers’ sake, they’re most likely quietly hoping for minimal punishment, if any, however the odds look like stacked towards them heading into the season.
