Stunning Kawhi Leonard scandal paints once beloved Raptors figure in new light

If you've been tuned into basketball social media, the talk of the town right now centers on a new bombshell report emerging about the short-time Raptors star and now-Clippers cornerstone, Kawhi Leonard.

This alleged scandal came to light thanks to journalist Pablo Torre on an episode of his self-titled podcast, Pablo Torre Finds Out, dated September 3. Below is a clip courtesy of X that summarizes the controversy in a nutshell (full link to the YouTube video here):

Kawhi Leonard, Steve Ballmer, Clippers linked to endorsement deal scandal

Now at the time of writing, no official action has been made by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, but it has been reported of NBA spokesman Mike Bass' take on the matter to which he's stated that the league is aware of the "... media report regarding the LA Clippers and are commencing an investigation."

The Clippers organization also released a statement on the evening of September 3, openly denying the bold claims, as Shams Charania highlighted in the X post below:

It is important to note that this news originates from Kawhi Leonard's first re-signing process with the Clippers in 2021, not from Leonard's departure from the Raptors in free agency in 2019. However, the Raptors remain engaged with this story nonetheless. John Gambadoro on X highlighted a similar move reportedly made by Toronto's front office and former majority owner Larry Tanenbaum to encourage Leonard to re-sign with the Raptors in 2019, which involved some aggressive efforts to secure additional sponsorship money:

I'm sure it's still fresh in many Raptors fans' minds, the hardball negotiations Toronto tried to engage Leonard and his team with to get the "Klaw" to sign an extension after the iconic 2019 title run. From "Ka-Wine and Dine" to free housing and these reported attempts at attracting extra sponsors, the entire city of Toronto was all-in to lock down their superstar. In the midst of these grand attempts, Toronto was still firmly aware that the Clippers had been tampering with Leonard, even before the coveted summer of 2019.

Thus in a sense, this current unfolding drama is simply painting a bigger picture that could be traced back all the way to Leonard's short-lived Raptors days.

Without rambling too much more on this story that clearly has an abundance of scandalous layers, I’ll say this much: I have no doubt in my mind that even if this is somehow proven untrue, unpacking the lengthy examples of shady business by Kawhi Leonard and his team, particularly the controversial Uncle Dennis, will tarnish his legacy in some capacity.

Everyone knows Kawhi Leonard as this nonchalant, lovable, fun guy, and don't get me wrong, I'm sure he still is. But when you analyze Leonard as a professional and how he's gone about the business of basketball, it’s clear that he’s someone who leverages negotiations and the means in his favor. The 2019 Raptors championship can never be taken away, and it’s a title campaign that will live in the annals of basketball history forever. Still, had Leonard’s team considered the prospects of potentially capturing further glory, like a back-to-back run, I can’t help but think about what could've been ... that thought still haunts me to this day.

These are the kind of revelations that can completely flip the script on one's legacy. I totally get wanting to chase a bag, as the kids say, but in a sense, this aspiration (pun fully intended) to maximize profit could be interpreted as Leonard's driving force, rather than first seeking elite basketball greatness. Take the "Board Man Gets Paid" tagline to a whole new level now.

This is just a terrible look all around, and I’m sure there will be more to uncover as this story unfolds.