Kawhi Leonard (Image via Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images) In what can be considered the biggest NBA scandal in recent years, an investigative report by Pablo Torre has everyone hyperaware of the whole situation regarding the Los Angeles Clippers and their star forward, Kawhi Leonard. Leonard signed an endorsement deal with a shell company that later turned out to be fraudulent where he would allegedly be paid $28 million over 4 years, of which he is yet to receive $7 million.It was a “no-show” deal, and he was never seen promoting the company which paid him such a large amount. Now Stephen A. Smith has given his two cents on the matter, saying it is because of Leonard that this whole situation came to light, as he is infamous for not showing up for work. This is not just Smith, even Clippers fans have accused the player of not showing up for the team on multiple occasions over the years, and with this brought to light, things just look even worse.
Stephen A. Smith says the NBA investigation is happening because of Kawhi Leonard
Ever since the “no-show” endorsement deal between Kawhi Leonard and the fintech company Aspiration came to light, things have been chaotic in the world of NBA. The board has hired a law firm to investigate the matter and at the center of it all that $28 million four years deal. Stephen A. Smith recently spoke on the matter, saying it is exactly because the person involved is Kawhi Leonard, that there is a whole investigation happening at the moment. “To me, the biggest focal point of all of this is should be Kawhi Leonard. The number one reason this story has credibility is because it implies that Kawhi Leonard got paid for doing nothing. And that is what we know him to be…He is known as peeling out every perk he can, every dollar he can squeeze, and he doesn’t hesitate to take time off.”Kawhi Leonard has missed 45 percent of the regular-season games and 30 percent of the playoff games in his entire NBA career. His injuries have been a major reason, and he is also known to take time off every now and then to recuperate. Fans have been critical of it for a long time, and there have been multiple discussions about how the Clippers should cut their losses. But that never happened, and now it looks like we know why!
Stephen A. Smith rebukes Kawhi Leonard about lack of responsibility
Stephen A. Smith didn’t just stop there, he also called out Kawhi Leonard for always turning away from responsibilities. It’s very rare for Leonard to play continuous games, as he often misses out on playtime for some reason or the other. And Smith thinks that the “no-show” deal was completely in league with that, as he has also been a no-show in the league games, not just in that allegedly fake endorsement deal. “If this were LeBron or Steph or somebody else, something like this would be thrown to the wolves. Why? Because to imply that they would be paid for doing nothing, nobody would think of it, because they’re ambassadors for the league. They show up. They honor their commitments to their teams in every way.”He complimented players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry for their work ethic – be it as a player or as a brand ambassador. They fulfill their obligations, unlike someone like Leonard. He further added:”But since this is Kawhi Leonard, notorious for being absent from work, that’s why it raised eyebrows. Kawhi Leonard, $28 million, no responsibilities. Damn, that sounds like him. That’s why I guarantee you that’s probably one of the top two reasons the NBA is investigating this. They got to because of Ballmer, the owner, and there’s an accusation out there. But the other part is Kawhi Leonard, paid but not working.” His absence from the league, as well as this bogus endorsement deal to allegedly circumvent the NBA salary cap, has now come together that has led to the NBA launching this investigation. And he is one of the biggest reasons this is happening at all. Leonard, though, doesn’t look too concerned about the ongoing controversy, and was recently seen attending the US Open Men’s Semifinal match in New York.Also Read: Kawhi Leonard endorsement controversy gains another spark after Toronto Raptors deal come to light