The Kawhi Leonard contract controversy is becoming increasingly complicated every day.
In a shocking report earlier this week, sports journalist Pablo Torre claimed that Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers had circumvented salary ceiling regulations by using a phony tree-planting business. It has been stated that Leonard agreed to a $28 million endorsement deal without really having to support anything.
The business ultimately declared bankruptcy after “conneding” Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and a number of its investors.
One of the major figures in the whole mess is Leonard’s Uncle Dennis, who serves as the Clippers star’s business manager. Uncle Dennis Robertson, despite not being a league-certified agent, has negotiated on behalf of Leonard on off-court matters throughout most of the All-Star’s NBA career.
A recent report from the Toronto Star’s Bruce Arthur shed some light on one of Robertson’s more outlandish asks in 2019 when Leonard was the hottest free agent in the NBA.
Uncle Dennis allegedly requested an ownership interest in the Toronto Maple Leafs during talks with the Raptors, “because that way he wasn’t asking for a piece of the Raptors.” The Raptors “politely explained” to Robertson that the two clubs were owned by the same person and that the request was “impossible,” according to the article.
As the current investigation begins, the report on the six-year-old negotiation offers important information about the man who is Leonard’s attorney. Leonard ultimately agreed to a three-year, $103 million deal that appeared to be significantly less than what the market would have paid for his services. The Clippers were cleared of any wrongdoing after an investigation by the NBA at the time.
Some chalked Leonard’s decision up to his desire to return home and team up with fellow California native Paul George. But there may have been more to his decision buried beneath the apple tree.
