The Los Angles Clippers and team consultant Jerry West are being investigated by the NBA for allegations against them involving the recruitment of Kawhi Leonard. Johnny Wilkes, a man who claims to be close to Leonard and best friends with Kawhi’s uncle Dennis Robertson, filed a lawsuit against West and the Clippers, alleging the team owes him $2.5 million for his involvement in helping the Clippers sign Leonard, according to ESPN. The Clippers confirmed the news on Thursday.
“The lawsuit filed by Johnny Wilkes is replete with inaccuracies and the allegations are baseless,” the Clippers said in a statement. “The Clippers are fully cooperating with the NBA in its investigation, which is standard when these types of allegations are made. They are providing the NBA with evidence that the allegations are false.” According to the lawsuit, Wilkes alleges that he informed West in 2019 that he was close to Leonard and his uncle. Wilkes then told West he can provide him vital information to help the Clippers land the All-Star if the team agreed to pay him $2.5 million. The lawsuit states that West agreed to the terms, and Wilkes is looking to get $2.5 million and damages.
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Leonard was asked about the allegations and revealed if Wilkes had anything to with him signing with the Clippers this past offseason. “Not at all,” Leonard said. “[…] That has nothing to do with me coming here. I’m from L.A. I grew up here my whole life. Out here, people try to find any way to get some money. So it probably won’t be the last. I know a lot of people out here.”
Wilkes spoke to TMZ and said West left a voicemail for him on July 1, 2019. TMZ obtained the voicemail, in which a man who sounds like West says: “Hey there, this is Jerry calling. I really want to thank you a lot for trying to help. I heard this morning that everyone over in the Lakers camp thinks they’re gonna get him.” The voicemail goes on to say: “I just find it hard to believe that he would want to go to that s— show where he would not even be … wouldn’t even get his name in the paper and he wouldn’t be the face of the franchise that’s for sure.”
The Clippers signed Leonard to a three-year, $103.1 million deal with a player option for the final year on July 10. He finished the 2019-2020 season averaging 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. He’s a four-time All-Star who won NBA titles with the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors.
