Former Clipper Gallinari Says Kawhi Leonard Sent Him Away From LA and 'Changed the Trajectory' of His Career

Former Los Angeles Clippers forward Danilo Gallinari says Kawhi Leonard 'changed the trajectory' of his NBA career by pushing the team to make the blockbuster 2019 Paul George trade that sent Gallinari out of Los Angeles.

Gallinari revisited the trade while discussing the NBA's punishment of Leonard and the Clippers on his Italian basketball podcast A Cresta Alta.

Leonard was recently fined $700,000 (£520,000) after a league investigation found salary-cap circumvention violations involving off-court income arrangements during his time with the Clippers. Gallinari argued Leonard's punishment should have been considerably harsher.

'He should pay all of that $50 million,' Gallinari said. 'He changed the trajectory of my career and put me in a difficult situation by sending me away from Los Angeles.'

Gallinari Blames Leonard for Clippers Exit

Gallinari had just completed one of the strongest seasons of his career when the Clippers traded him in July 2019.

The Italian averaged a career-high 19.8 points per game during the 2018-19 season, helping Los Angeles reach the playoffs before becoming part of the enormous package sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder for George.

The Clippers gave up Gallinari, promising young guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, five first-round draft picks and two first-round pick swaps.

Leonard, fresh from leading the Toronto Raptors to the NBA championship, subsequently signed with Los Angeles. Contemporary reports said Leonard had pushed the Clippers to acquire another star, with George becoming his preferred partner.

'What happened to my NBA career wasn't decided by a general manager or an owner, but by a player who decided that team wasn't good enough and wanted something else,' Gallinari said.

Gallinari nevertheless acknowledged that Oklahoma City ultimately proved a productive destination for both himself and Gilgeous-Alexander.

Leonard Fined as Clippers Hit With Massive Penalty

Gallinari's comments come amid fresh turmoil surrounding Leonard's relationship with the Clippers. On 2 September, the NBA announced sweeping penalties after an independent investigation found what the league called 'multiple significant rules violations' involving attempts to provide Leonard with income outside his playing contract.

The Clippers were fined $30 million (£22.3 million) and stripped of five first-round draft picks covering 2029 through 2033. Owner Steve Ballmer received a one-year suspension, while senior executives Gillian Zucker and Lawrence Frank were also suspended.

Leonard, meanwhile, was fined $700,000 (£520,000). Gallinari argued that the relatively small penalty did not fit the circumstances. 'He should give that money to charity,' he said. 'He should pay all $50 million, not just $700,000.'

2019 Trade Still Haunts the Clippers

The original George deal already cost Los Angeles enormous draft capital. Official records confirm Oklahoma City received Gallinari, Gilgeous-Alexander, five first-round picks and two swaps. Contemporary reporting said Leonard had recruited George, and the blockbuster trade helped secure Leonard's move to the Clippers.

That trade has aged particularly well for Oklahoma City as Gilgeous-Alexander developed into one of the league's biggest stars.

For Gallinari, however, the latest Clippers scandal has revived a more personal memory of that summer. Seven years later, he still sees Leonard not merely as the superstar Los Angeles wanted to sign, but as the player whose demands abruptly ended his own Clippers career.