Kawhi Leonard’s Hall Of Fame Case Takes A Hit After Clippers Fine, Says Eddie Johnson

Kawhi Leonard has returned to the Toronto Raptors, but the Clippers controversy has followed him into the next chapter of his career. Former NBA player and broadcaster Eddie Johnson now believes the fallout could affect how Hall of Fame voters view Leonard. Johnson said on SiriusXM NBA Radio that Leonard may not get into the Hall on his first or second chance. His comments came after the NBA fined Leonard $700,000 following its investigation into the Clippers' salary-cap violations.

The NBA's September 2 ruling found that the Clippers helped create off-court income opportunities for Leonard through four companies that did business with the team. Leonard was fined, while the Clippers were fined $30 million and lost five first-round picks from 2029 through 2033. Owner Steve Ballmer was suspended for one year, while executives Gillian Zucker and Lawrence Frank also received suspensions.

Eddie Johnson Believes Kawhi Leonard Could Wait For Hall Of Fame

Johnson did not question Leonard's basketball achievements. Instead, he focused on how the controversy could affect the voting process when Leonard eventually retires. “When he retires, he will not get in there the first or second time,” Johnson said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “I just truly believe that they're gonna blackball him for about three or four years before he gets voted in. He'll eventually get in, but I think they're gonna make him sweat.”

Johnson also explained why he expects the process to be difficult for Leonard. “It's not gonna be cut and dry, and it's gonna show when guys that he played with get in before he does. That's gonna be the message sent to Kawhi, and rightly so.” His comments add a new angle to a debate that now goes beyond Leonard's numbers and championships.

Leonard's playing record gives voters plenty to consider. He is a seven-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. He was also selected to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team. NBA.com notes that Leonard is one of only three players to win Finals MVP with multiple franchises.

Kawhi Leonard's Clippers Case Adds To His Hall Of Fame Story

The controversy began with off-court deals involving Leonard and companies connected to the Clippers. The NBA's investigation, led by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, found that the team helped arrange income opportunities involving Aspiration Partners, Boingo Wireless, Daktronics and Lockton Insurance. Leonard's former business manager and uncle, Dennis Robertson, was also banned from NBA-related business for five years.

Leonard said he accepted responsibility for lapses in judgment by people in his inner circle but maintained that he did not know about any plan to circumvent the salary cap. The NBA still found Leonard violated its circumvention rules and ordered him to pay $700,000. The Clippers received much heavier penalties because of the organization's role in the arrangements.

The timing also matters because Leonard is now officially back with Toronto. The Raptors completed the trade after the NBA finished its investigation, ending the hold that had kept the deal from becoming official. Leonard now moves forward with a career that already includes two championships, two Finals MVP awards and a place on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

For Johnson, though, the Clippers case could make Leonard wait longer than expected when his Hall of Fame time arrives. That is his view, not a decision made by the Hall of Fame, and there is no official rule saying the NBA investigation will delay Leonard's induction. Basketball-Reference currently lists Leonard's Hall of Fame probability at 97.42%, based on its statistical model.