Stephen A. Smith slams Kawhi Leonard over NBA salary cap controversy

The Los Angeles Clippers and star player Kawhi Leonard found themselves at the center of controversy recently after it emerged that franchise owner Steve Ballmer and Leonard attempted to circumvent the NBA’s salary cap restrictions.

Reports claimed that Ballmer gave Leonard a “no-show” $28 million endorsement deal to supplement the player’s contract and ensure he earned more than what was possible under the league’s salary cap.

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, never one to shy away from bold statements, slammed Leonard on First Take, suggesting that the player’s own history triggered the probe.

“To me, the biggest focal point of all this should be Kawhi Leonard. The number one reason this story has credibility is because it implies that Kawhi Leonard got paid for doing nothing. And that is what we know him to be. He is known for squeezing out every perk he can, every dollar he can get, and he doesn’t hesitate to take time off,” Smith said.

There is no doubt that Leonard is one of the NBA’s best when healthy, although he has battled injuries throughout his career. The 34-year-old has missed 45 percent of regular-season games and 30 percent of playoff games in his NBA career. Last season, he played only 37 games for the Clippers — his fewest since joining the team in 2019.

Stephen A. Smith goes off on Kawhi

“If there’s a way for this brother to get money guaranteed without working… I haven’t seen too many people as gifted in taking time off as Kawhi Leonard.”

(🎥 @FirstTake / h/t @ClutchPoints )

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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 3, 2025

Smith added that stars like LeBron James or Stephen Curry would be vilified if they were in the same situation.

“If this was LeBron or Steph or somebody else, something like this would be thrown to the wolves. Why? Because to imply that they would be paid for doing nothing, nobody would think of it, because they are ambassadors for the league. They show up. They honor their commitments to their teams in every way.

“But since this is Kawhi Leonard, known for being absent from work, that’s why it raised eyebrows. Kawhi Leonard, 28 million, no responsibilities. Damn, that sounds like him. That’s why I guarantee you that’s probably one of the top two reasons the NBA is investigating this. They got to because of Ballmer, the owner, and there is an accusation out there. But the other part is Kawhi Leonard, paid but not working,” Smith added.

Leonard was selected 15th overall by the Indiana Pacers in the 2011 NBA Draft but was immediately traded to the San Antonio Spurs. He later played for the Toronto Raptors before joining the Clippers. The small forward is widely considered one of the best of his generation, winning two NBA championships, being named NBA Finals MVP twice, earning two NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards, leading the league in steals in 2015, and collecting six NBA All-Star nods.

Leonard is one of only three players to win Finals MVP with two different teams, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James.

The NBA has since hired an outside law firm to investigate the Clippers and Leonard, and the league’s findings could have major implications for both the player and the franchise.

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