The Kawhi Leonard Signing Cost the Clippers Everything

The future appeared to be bright for the “little brothers” of Los Angeles after landing Leonard. Little did the front office know that signing Leonard would spell the beginning of the end of any title hopes they may have had.

Leonard and George Won Just Three Playoff Series in Five Seasons Together

Leonard and George played five seasons together, but the Clippers won just three playoff series in that time. They could never reach the pinnacle: a Finals appearance.

In 2020, when the NBA held the playoffs in The Bubble, the Clippers held a 3-1 series lead over the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals. They lost the next three games, wasting one of their best playoff opportunities. Both Leonard and George were healthy, but a lack of adjustments and poor overall roster construction led to disappointment for the superteam.

Injuries limited the two players’ successes, with both missing extended periods. Leonard most notably tore his ACL in the 2021 Western Conference Semifinals. The Clippers still managed to reach their first-ever Conference Finals, but they fell in six games to the Devin Booker-led Phoenix Suns. He also missed time in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

The Clippers later traded for former MVP James Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers in November of 2023. They traded role players, including Nicolas Batum, along with multiple first-round picks. That trade was their last-ditch attempt at a championship run. In the end, the trio of Harden, Leonard, and George didn’t pan out, leaving the Clippers with barely anything to show for the original Leonard signing.

The Price of George Was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder’s Future

To encourage Leonard to sign in Los Angeles, the Clippers negotiated a trade for the aforementioned George. Acquiring the disgruntled Thunder guard/forward looked like a great move at the time, but the Clippers traded away numerous future All-Stars in exchange.

The Thunder landed Gilgeous-Alexander in the deal who was entering his second year in the NBA. The NBA had just named him to the All-Rookie Second Team after a promising first season. He soon developed into a superstar in Oklahoma City.

While the Clippers couldn’t get over the hump, Gilgeous-Alexander was improving year by year. He eventually reached his first career All-Star Game in February 2023. He didn’t look back, receiving MVP honors in 2025 and 2026. In 2025, he led the Thunder to their first Finals victory over the Indiana Pacers.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, one of the first-round picks the Clippers sent Oklahoma City’s way turned out to be Jalen Williams from Santa Clara University. Williams was a key piece in the Thunder’s NBA Finals victory, earning All-NBA Third Team honors in 2025.

To close out the trade, the Thunder used the Clippers’ 2026 unprotected first-round pick to select Michigan’s Aday Mara. In summary, the Clippers essentially traded a perennial MVP candidate, consistent All-Star, and their overall future for a Western Conference Finals berth and a superteam gone wrong.

The NBA Uncovered a Scheme to Pay Leonard Under the Table

On September 3, 2025, Investigative Journalist Pablo Torre first alleged that Ballmer circumvented the NBA salary cap to pay Leonard. Torre claimed that Ballmer sent millions of dollars in under-the-table compensation to the superstar through “no-show” corporate endorsement deals.

Torre’s initial investigation involved Aspiration Partners, Inc., a green financial technology and sustainability banking company. Ballmer himself invested $50 million into the company. Leonard then signed a $28 million endorsement contract with the company.

Whistleblowers and corporate bankruptcy documents brought to light that Leonard had no work obligations or promotional requirements to fulfill with Aspiration. The whole operation was allegedly structured as a bonus to lead him to re-signing with the Clippers.

As it turned out, the NBA uncovered three other companies that engaged in similar affairs. The Clippers induced Boingo Wireless, Daktronics (another company Torre dug heavily into), and Lockton Insurance into deals with Leonard by “offering them business from the team.”

Another aspect of the investigation involved Leonard’s advisor and uncle, Dennis Robertson. The NBA found that Robertson orchestrated a scheme to secure illegal, unrecorded off-court income. He ended up pressuring the Clippers into assisting him.

While the NBA investigated this scandal, they put a trade that would have sent Leonard to the Raptors on hold. Both teams eagerly (or as it turned out in the Clippers’ case, not so eagerly) awaited a resolution for months.

The Clippers Lost Five More First-Round Picks and Their Owner for a Year

The NBA concluded its investigation and found that the Clippers did indeed circumvent the salary cap. With this, the league took away the organization’s 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, and 2033 first-round picks. The 2029 pick was one that the Indiana Pacers had previously sent to the Clippers in their Ivica Zubac trade.

The NBA also suspended Ballmer from league and team activities and fined him considerably, as mentioned. Another culprit was Clippers President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker, who is suspended without pay for one year. The NBA deemed her “primarily and directly culpable for the impermissible endorsement arrangements and for providing false and misleading statements to investigators.”

Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank is suspended without pay for six months. He was involved in the endorsement arrangements and approved expenses acquired by Leonard and his family. Also, “The Clippers organization and personnel are subject to a compliance and monitoring program overseen by the league office for a period of five years,” the NBA added.

Robertson has also been handed a five-year ban from all league business dealings and activities by the NBA for his involvement in the scandal.

Leonard managed to avoid significant consequences, only owing $700,000 in restitution. A suspension would have negatively impacted the Raptors who were hoping to bring back their beloved star.

The trade is set to go through, which will see the Clippers add players like Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick. They’re also going to receive two unprotected first-round picks, one first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks from Toronto.

The Clippers reject the NBA’s findings and consider the investigation “heavily biased.” They are looking to challenge the NBA’s findings and penalties, but there is no formal appeal or arbitration process available to the Clippers. Their only option is to fight the decision in court.

Earlier this offseason, the Clippers drafted Illinois guard Keaton Wagler with the fifth overall pick. The rookie is now being thrust into a major role on a team with a terrible future outlook.

The only first-rounders the team possesses for the next eight years are the two that the Raptors sent their way, along with the second most favorable pick among themselves, Toronto, and Oklahoma City in 2027, and the least favorable between themselves and the 76ers in 2029 (top-three protected).

The next first-round pick they actually own outright is their 2034 pick. The No. 1 player in that draft class is likely 10 or 11 years old right now.

In July 2019, the Clippers signed Leonard. Since then, they’ve lost numerous first-round picks, arguably the best player in the league, and all hopes for competing any time soon.

What do they have to show for this? Three playoff series wins.