The Clippers and Lakers showdown on Christmas Day was always going to be a big deal. Two star filled teams sharing an arena and both trying to prove they’re the top title contender in the Western Conference. Add in a report from The Athletic about Kawhi Leonard’s camp making outlandish demands in the free agency process that included a private plane and there was an added bit of drama going into a highly anticipated matchup.
One of the more common questions after the report came out was, well if Leonard is playing for the Clippers does that mean they met those outlandish demands? We know they were investigated over the summer, and the Clippers denied that they had broken any rules, but the recent report made some of those concerns about them re-surface. The Athletic’s Joe Vardon followed up the previous report and asked Clippers coach Doc Rivers about it, with Rivers seeming less than enthused about the story.
Rivers said he didn’t read the report, but, “it’s a pretty empty story. There’s nothing there.” How would he know? Anyway, he also said, “They investigate every year. I don’t know why that is news. Every year, someone signs, there is going to be an investigation. That’s fine. The key is once you’re clear. From what I know, I don’t think we were the only ones. The NBA investigated six teams. I don’t know that. But I know there was more than one. We should. That’s what we have to do and make sure things are done right. The NBA said it was.”
Rivers claim that multiple teams were also investigated over the summer is interesting, because it makes you wonder how many teams are operating in a way the NBA feels isn’t following the rules. They did increase emphasis on tampering over the summer and you can argue that the Leonard free agency situation played a big part in those changes being emphasized — along with the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving being reported as done deals prior to the moratorium period starting.
It’s worth noting that Vardon reported that six teams weren’t investigated as Rivers claimed, and Vardon also noted that the Clippers were cleared of any allegations, involving the demands that Leonard’s uncle made. As far as the NBA is concerned, the Clippers didn’t break any rules in the CBA when it came to signing Leonard. Knowing this, it’s understandable why Rivers is frustrated in having to rehash what is now for him an old story. In Rivers mind, the Clippers have been cleared so why is it being brought up again right before arguably their biggest game of the season?
While it’s understandable why Rivers feels this way, to me the story is less about whether they broke the CBA and more about tampering as a whole. Between the Clippers pursuit of Leonard, the Lakers pursuit of Anthony Davis, and the NBA’s new emphasis on tampering it’s worth discussing some of these old transactions that took place over the summer. They’re having direct impact on the future of the NBA and that needs to be discussed.
