The past few weeks in the NBA have been nothing short of explosive. Allegations from Pablo Torre suggested Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer orchestrated complex financial schemes involving Kawhi Leonard, a controversy that has dominated headlines. What began as a $28 million cap circumvention claim quickly ballooned into a $48 million scandal, rattling league front offices.
Now, another shocking revelation has surfaced. This time, the issue is not about money but about the Clippers’ inner workings and the iron-clad secrecy surrounding their franchise cornerstone.
What New Revelations Has an NBA Insider Made Regarding Kawhi Leonard?
In a recent report, ESPN’s NBA insider Baxter Holmes uncovered new details that illuminate a tense culture within the Clippers regarding Leonard’s health and availability. According to Holmes, the organization treated information about Leonard’s physical condition as a sacred secret.
One former Clippers employee admitted that even asking about Leonard’s health risked serious consequences, reflecting the immense pressure and paranoia tied to the superstar’s availability.
“‘He was very separate from [the Clippers’] staff,’ one source with knowledge of the situation said… It caused extreme angst within the medical department, another former staffer said. It was like the Clippers’ medical staff wasn’t really allowed to touch Kawhi ever,” Holmes wrote regarding the reports he received from the staff.
Furthermore, Holmes reported that before Leonard signed with the Clippers in 2019, his camp, led by his influential uncle Dennis Robertson, demanded complete silence from the organization on matters related to his health. The instruction was simple: unless necessary, the Clippers were to say nothing about Leonard’s condition publicly.
A statement from the organization to ESPN showed how carefully they dealt with everything related to Leonard.
“Kawhi Leonard is an elite player and admired teammate who has made significant contributions to our organization. We treat Kawhi with the same respect as we do all of our players and staff.”
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“Unfortunately, he’s battled injuries, which have led to undue scrutiny and criticism, but we appreciate his resilience and relentless work ethic. We’re grateful he is part of our team and look forward to the start of training camp,” the statement read.
Leonard officially joined the Clippers in July 2019 through a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Raptors, fresh off leading Toronto to its first NBA championship.
During the COVID-shortened schedule, his inaugural 2019-20 season with Los Angeles saw him participate in 57 of 72 regular-season games. He missed 15 contests due to load management strategies designed to protect his persistent quadriceps and knee problems that had plagued him for years.
Leonard’s Injury Struggles and Clippers Drama Grow
In 2020-21, Leonard played in 52 games of another 72-game schedule before suffering a devastating partial ACL tear in the playoffs. That injury sidelined him for the entire 2021-22 season.
The following year, in 2022-23, Leonard returned to play 52 of 82 games, but his comeback was cut short by a torn meniscus during the postseason. In 2023-24, he appeared in 68 contests, his healthiest season with the Clippers, although he still missed time late due to inflammation in the same troublesome knee.
During the 2024-25 season, Leonard endured another rough start and missed most of the early stretch due to injury. However, his January return revitalized the team. Across 37 games, he averaged 21.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, helping Los Angeles finish with a 50-32 record and secure a playoff berth. Unfortunately, their run ended at the hands of the Denver Nuggets.
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Now, Holmes’ revelations add another layer of chaos to an already tense moment for Leonard and the Clippers.
With financial scandals swirling around the franchise and insider reports exposing the culture of fear tied to Leonard’s health, the narrative around the Clippers’ future is only growing more complicated.
