Stephen A. Smith called for Kawhi Leonard to receive at least a one-year suspension if the allegations surrounding the Clippers’ alleged salary-cap circumvention are proven true.
Stephen A. Smith believes Kawhi Leonard should be suspended for at least one year if the latest allegations surrounding the Los Angeles Clippers' alleged salary-cap circumvention are proven true.
The ESPN personality made the comments during a conversation with investigative journalist Pablo Torre on The Stephen A. Smith Show, who has continued to report on the NBA's investigation into Leonard, the Clippers and a series of alleged off-the-books financial arrangements.
The latest allegations have added another layer to a case that has already surrounded Leonard's controversial $28 million endorsement agreement with the now-bankrupt Aspiration.
Smith calls for Leonard's suspension
Smith did not mince words when discussing the potential consequences for Leonard and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.
"This is egregious if it’s true," Smith said on his show on Friday. "If it’s true, we’re talking about banishment for Steve Ballmer as far as I’m concerned for at least a year. We’re talking about, and it should be entertained that Kawhi Leonard should be banned for a year."
Smith argued that simply voiding Leonard's contract would not be sufficient punishment.
"If he’s guilty of this, vaporizing the deal isn’t good enough because you just leave him out there on the free agent market and somebody can gobble him up and pay him," Smith said.
"You gotta suspend; you gotta attach a suspension with that vaporization of the deal to make sure that ramifications are truly, truly felt."
Smith also called for the Clippers to lose draft picks and for Ballmer to face a suspension from attending games.
"If this is true, and obviously there appears to be no reason to doubt it. Excellent reporting on your part, Pablo. Bottom line is this. If you’re the NBA, you vaporize the contract of Kawhi Leonard," Smith said.
"And in the same breath, not only do you do that, but you suspend them. You suspend them, and you don’t allow him to play for the next year. You confiscate draft picks from the Clippers, but you also suspend Steve Balmer from appearing at games."
New Daktronics allegations emerge
The latest development came through Torre's reporting on an alleged multimillion-dollar agreement involving Daktronics, a company that provides video displays and other technology to sports venues.
According to the allegations discussed by Torre, the deal could represent another channel through which money was allegedly directed toward Leonard outside of his NBA salary.
Smith highlighted the significance of having multiple alleged arrangements connected to the Clippers.
"You know, the deal with Aspiration, all right, that’s a green banking company. That’s at the center of the NBA investigation going on. Now to learn that you might have had another sponsorship deal worth millions of dollars with Daktronics," Smith said.
"So, you had not one but a couple of companies funneling money to you to circumvent the salary cap where you getting this money, but you also getting these additional dollars on the side illegally because according to NBA bylaws, you ain’t supposed to be doing this."
Torre: Potentially the biggest cap circumvention scheme in U.S. sports
During his conversation with Smith, Torre emphasized the potential scale of the allegations.
"If you have these allegations existing concurrently, it amounts to the largest alleged cap circumvention scheme in the history of professional sports, at least in America," Torre said.
"That’s the scale of what we’re talking about."
The distinction between allegations and established facts remains important. The NBA has not publicly determined that Leonard, Ballmer or the Clippers violated league rules, and the investigation has yet to produce an official punishment.
Still, the possibility of multiple arrangements being connected to Leonard has significantly raised the stakes surrounding the case.
NBA investigation remains unresolved
The Aspiration controversy has been under NBA investigation for an extended period.
Leonard reportedly signed a four-year, $28 million endorsement agreement with Aspiration in 2022. The deal was later scrutinized amid allegations that it may have been used to provide Leonard with compensation connected to the Clippers outside the league's salary-cap structure.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has acknowledged introducing Leonard to Aspiration but has denied knowing about or directing any improper arrangement.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has previously called for a resolution to the investigation, while the league's findings have remained undisclosed.
Recent reporting has also indicated that the investigation could have implications for Leonard's future, including the possibility of his situation affecting a potential move away from Los Angeles.
Smith wants the NBA to send a message
For Smith, the central issue is not only what happened to Leonard but what precedent the NBA would establish by its response.
"If this happened, this is really, really bad," Smith said. "And I believe that Adam Silver is going to have to come down with a heavy hand."
"I’m talking about confiscation of draft picks. I’m talking about banishment for at least a year."
Smith believes significant punishment would be necessary to prevent other teams and players from attempting similar arrangements.
"I’m talking about sending a kind of message where no player nor any owner would even think about doing this again," Smith said. "That cannot happen if this is true."
For now, however, Leonard and the Clippers have not been found guilty of salary-cap circumvention. The allegations remain subject to the NBA's investigation, with the league ultimately responsible for determining whether any rules were violated and what penalties, if any, should follow.
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