Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 16
Stephen A. Smith Blasts Kawhi Leonard's $700,000 Penalty as Clippers Lose 5 First-Round Picks
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 16

Stephen A. Smith Blasts Kawhi Leonard's $700,000 Penalty as Clippers Lose 5 First-Round Picks

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 16

Summary

  • Stephen A. Smith attacked Kawhi Leonard's $700,000 restitution payment as far too light after the Clippers salary-cap scandal brought much harsher punishment to the franchise.
  • The NBA hit the Clippers with a $30 million fine, stripped five first-round picks and suspended owner Steve Ballmer for one year over alleged side payments routed through sponsors to Leonard and his uncle.
  • Leonard, who reportedly left for Toronto without a suspension, was portrayed by Smith as escaping accountability while management absorbed the main fallout.
  • The case has widened beyond league discipline, with federal and SEC probes underway and Leonard's uncle Dennis Robertson already handed a five-year NBA ban.

Insights

Why did the NBA let Kawhi Leonard walk away with a minor fine while federal prosecutors circle the Clippers' massive financial scandal?
Could the SEC investigation into the Clippers' hidden compensation scheme ultimately lead to criminal charges for NBA executives?