The Clippers defend their roadmap while waiting for the NBA's decision on Kawhi Leonard

Los Angeles Clippers continue to await the resolution of the NBA investigation into Kawhi Leonard and his contractual relationship with a California company, although the franchise insists that this process has not influenced their sports decision-making.

This was stated on Monday by Lawrence Frank, the team's president of basketball operations, when asked about the impact of the case on the franchise's daily planning. As he explained, the situation has not changed since last September, and the club remains convinced that they have acted correctly.

The investigation originated from information published last fall by journalist Pablo Torre, accusing the Clippers of violating salary cap rules through a $28 million sponsorship contract between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC, a sustainability services company that later declared bankruptcy. Both the player and the franchise have denied any irregularities, and Leonard has stated that he did not even receive the full amount of the agreement.

Moves before the trade deadline

The sports context of the season has also been unique. After a very negative start with a record of 6-21, the Clippers staged a remarkable comeback, winning 19 of their last 25 games before the Tuesday match against Houston. In the midst of this positive trend, the team made two high-impact trades: James Harden was sent to Cleveland, and Ivica Zubac to Indiana.

Frank acknowledged that both moves were not part of the initial plan but were triggered by a call from the Cavaliers inquiring about Harden and an especially aggressive offer from the Pacers for Zubac. In exchange, the Clippers received Darius Garland, two first-round draft picks, and small forward Bennedict Mathurin in his fourth year in the league.

Zubac's departure had a particularly emotional component. The center, one of the longest-tenured players after joining from the Lakers, had just completed his best season and had established himself as one of the most prominent defensive big men in the NBA. The day before the trade, Frank warned him that another team was strongly pushing, although he hoped they wouldn't meet the franchise's demands.

Eventually, Indiana did make the move. Zubac made a final visit to the team's facilities with a farewell that lasted several hours, with displays of affection from teammates, coaches, and club personnel. The moment was even more delicate as his wife had just given birth to their first child.

Regarding Harden, the front office appreciated the effort made by the 36-year-old guard, who took on a heavy load of minutes during Leonard's absences. The trade for Garland, ten years younger, aimed to compete in the present while rejuvenating the roster.

Frank acknowledged that Leonard was affected by the departures of Harden and Zubac at a time when the team seemed to have found stability, but he highlighted his collaborative attitude towards difficult decisions. He explained that the forward understands that the project's sustainability requires making complex choices, even when sporting performance is satisfactory.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los Clippers defienden su hoja de ruta mientras esperan la decisión de la NBA sobre Kawhi Leonard