Kawhi Leonard, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, made the most highly publicized move of this past free agency period when he joined the Los Angeles Clippers following his championship campaign with the Toronto Raptors. Prior to his signing with the Clippers, many speculated that Leonard would join LeBron James and Anthony Davis as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, and now The Athletic‘s Sam Amick is reporting that Leonard heavily considered the move to the Lakers if they were willing to accommodate the requests of his uncle, Dennis Robertson, who is known to represent Kawhi. The favors in question are said to have been enough to violate the league’s collective bargaining agreement.
The following is from Amick’s report, detailing the benefits Robertson was seeking:
“Sources say the league was told that Robertson asked team officials for part ownership of [the Lakers], a private plane that would be available at all times, a house and…a guaranteed amount of off-court endorsement money that they could expect if Leonard played for their team. All of those items, to be clear, would fall well outside the confines of the league’s collective bargaining agreement.”
The Athletic also states in their report that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver became aware of the allegations of Robertson’s outlandish requests and conducted a formal investigation into him, which are thought to have contributed to the tightening of league rules regarding the certification required to manage NBA talent.
Kawhi Leonard has provided high-level productivity for the Clippers in his 23 appearances, averaging 25.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game, as he and Paul George have led the Clippers to a record of 22-10, placing them fourth in the Western Conference.
