# Stephen A. rips Kawhi for dodging Clippers salary cap fallout

> The NBA star paid $700k and walked away while the team lost $30 million, five draft picks, and their owner for a year.
- Title: Stephen A. rips Kawhi for dodging Clippers salary cap fallout
- Summary: The NBA star paid $700k and walked away while the team lost $30 million, five draft picks, and their owner for a year. Kawhi Leonard escaped the Clippers'…
- Keywords: stephen a. smith, kawhi leonard, los angeles clippers, nba, salary cap scandal, steve ballmer, toronto raptors, dennis robertson, first take, espn, federal probe, sec investigation
- Source: OutKick — https://foxnews.com/outkick-sports/stephen-a-smith-calls-out-nba-star-kawhi-leonard-letting-clippers-take-fall-salary-cap-scandal
- Author: Alejandro Avila
- Published: 2026-09-15T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: stephen a. smith, kawhi leonard, los angeles clippers, nba, salary cap scandal, steve ballmer, toronto raptors, dennis robertson, first take, espn, federal probe, sec investigation
## Stephen A. torches Kawhi Leonard
Smith called Leonard a gangster for causing chaos and walking away with just $700,000 in restitution after the Clippers' salary cap scandal.

> For him to cause all the trouble that he's caused for this organization and to walk away with nothing more than having to surrender $700,000 worth of restitution is a crime.
## Clippers hit with historic penalties
The NBA fined the team $30 million, stripped five first-round picks, and suspended owner Steve Ballmer for one year. It's the harshest punishment in league history.
## Shady sponsor scheme exposed
Investigators uncovered millions in under-the-table payments to Leonard and his uncle Dennis Robertson through sponsors like Aspiration and Daktronics.
## Leonard blamed everyone but himself
He pointed fingers at his inner circle, claimed ignorance, and let Clippers management take the fall while he got traded back to Toronto.

> He broke the rules, got caught, pointed the finger at somebody else, threw the organization under the bus, got his money and left the country.
## A $700k fine on $50M salary
Despite federal and SEC probes, Leonard paid just $700,000 in restitution while earning nearly $50 million annually. He even waived a $7.45 million trade kicker to leave.
## The ultimate hustle
Kawhi never missed a game, avoided suspension entirely, and returned to Canada while the Clippers absorbed all the damage.
## Key takeaway

Kawhi Leonard escaped the Clippers' massive salary cap scandal with just a $700,000 fine while the team absorbed historic penalties.