Gallinari targets Kawhi Leonard.
Danilo Gallinari argues Kawhi Leonard should pay $50 million following Clippers investigation.
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Key Points
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The Clippers were ordered to forfeit five consecutive first-round picks from 2029 through 2033 and placed under a five-year league compliance and monitoring program.
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Clippers owner Steve Ballmer received a one-year suspension from all NBA and team activities, while President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank was suspended for six months without pay and President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker was suspended for one year without pay.
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As part of the 2019 Paul George trade, Oklahoma City received Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, four unprotected first-round picks, a protected 2023 first-round pick and two additional pick swaps.
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After the trade, Leonard signed a four-year, $141 million maximum contract with the Clippers.
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Gallinari said the trade triggered a journeyman phase in which he moved among multiple franchises, although he acknowledged that he and Gilgeous-Alexander ultimately followed “wonderful paths.”
The NBA fined Kawhi Leonard $700,000 for his role in the Los Angeles Clippers' salary-cap violations, but former teammate Danilo Gallinari says that's far too lenient. Sportskeeda reports Gallinari is calling for Leonard to pay $50 million — and donate it to charity — for allegedly demanding the trade that sent Gallinari to Oklahoma City in 2019. Gallinari argues Leonard's actions altered the trajectory of his entire career.
The NBA investigated whether Leonard and his team manipulated the Clippers' roster moves to circumvent salary-cap rules. ClutchPoints details how the Clippers faced sweeping penalties: a $30 million fine, forfeiture of five first-round picks from 2029 to 2033, and suspensions for owner Steve Ballmer and other executives. Leonard's uncle and former business manager Dennis Robertson received a five-year ban from NBA business.
How Leonard's Demand Sent Gallinari to Oklahoma City
In 2019, Leonard allegedly pushed the Clippers to acquire Paul George. To make the deal work financially, the team shipped out Gallinari to Oklahoma City. Sportskeeda reports the Thunder received Gallinari, rising star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, four unprotected first-round picks, a protected 2023 pick, and two pick swaps. Days after the trade, Leonard signed a four-year, $141 million maximum contract with the Clippers.
Gallinari acknowledged that both he and Gilgeous-Alexander ultimately followed "wonderful paths" after leaving Los Angeles. But he contends the trade forced him through a "journeyman phase" moving between franchises. Yahoo Sports quotes Gallinari saying superstar-driven roster decisions can dramatically reshape other players' careers in ways that go uncompensated.
NBA Penalties Target Clippers Executives and Ownership
The league's investigation concluded the Clippers deliberately circumvented salary-cap rules through the Paul George trade. Owner Steve Ballmer received a one-year suspension from all NBA and team activities. President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank was suspended six months without pay, while President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker was suspended one year without pay.
Beyond personnel suspensions, the Clippers organization faces years of scrutiny. HITC reports the team must forfeit consecutive first-round picks spanning 2029 through 2033 and submit to a five-year compliance monitoring program. These penalties aim to prevent similar cap-circumvention schemes across the NBA.
Gallinari's Case Raises Questions About Superstar Power
Gallinari's $50 million demand highlights a rare complaint: that superstars can unilaterally reshape franchises at the expense of role players who have no say in the outcome. Yahoo Sports frames Gallinari's complaint as a challenge to the league's hierarchical system, where star power drives trade decisions that ripple through entire rosters.
The $700,000 fine on Leonard itself drew criticism for being symbolic rather than punitive. Gallinari's call for $50 million to charity underscores the gap between the league's financial penalties and the real-world career impact on non-superstar players caught in the crossfire of star-driven maneuvering.
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