3 minSports
Stephen A. Smith Blasts Kawhi Leonard Over Clippers Salary Cap Scandal
ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith criticized Kawhi Leonard for allowing the Los Angeles Clippers to absorb historic penalties while he returned to Toronto with only a $700,000 restitution fee.
ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith sharply criticized NBA star Kawhi Leonard for what he described as letting the Los Angeles Clippers bear the full weight of a salary cap scandal while Leonard walked away with a minimal penalty. Speaking on First Take, Smith said Leonard caused extensive damage to the organization and then left for the Toronto Raptors without facing suspension.
«For him to cause all the trouble that he's caused for this organization and to walk away with nothing more than having to surrender $700,000 worth of restitution is a crime,» Smith said. «Kawhi Leonard … he's a gangster.»
The NBA imposed its most severe penalty in league history on the Clippers: a $30 million fine, the loss of five first-round draft picks, and a one-year suspension for owner Steve Ballmer. Investigators found that the team used sponsors including Aspiration and Daktronics to funnel millions of dollars in under-the-table payments to Leonard and his uncle, Dennis Robertson. The scheme triggered federal and SEC probes, and Robertson received a five-year NBA ban.
Leonard, however, received only a $700,000 restitution fee and no suspension. He also waived a $7.45 million trade kicker to complete his return to the Toronto Raptors, the team he led to a championship in 2019. Smith argued that Leonard pointed the finger at others and threw the organization under the bus while keeping his money and leaving the country.
«He broke the rules, got caught, pointed the finger at somebody else, threw the organization under the bus, got his money and left the country,» Smith said. «I mean, [expletive], how much better can it get than that?»
The Clippers' punishment stands as the harshest in NBA history, yet Leonard's relatively minor financial penalty has drawn scrutiny. With an annual income approaching $50 million, the $700,000 restitution amounts to a minor handling charge. Smith's remarks reflect a broader frustration that the league's star players can escape serious consequences while teams and owners absorb the heaviest sanctions.
Leonard has not missed a game since the scandal broke, and he has publicly blamed his inner circle while claiming ignorance of the illicit arrangements. The Clippers, meanwhile, must rebuild without five first-round picks and without their owner for a full year. The federal and SEC investigations remain ongoing, leaving open the possibility of further developments.
Smith's critique highlights a persistent tension in professional sports: when salary cap violations occur, the league often penalizes teams and owners more severely than the players who benefit from the schemes. For the Clippers, the cost has been historic. For Leonard, the cost has been a fraction of his earnings and a fresh start in Toronto.
