NBA investigating Clippers, Jerry West over Kawhi signing
The NBA opened an investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers regarding allegations of Jerry West's involvement in the 2019 signing of Kawhi Leonard, according to The Athletic's Sam Amick.
The probe was launched in response to a TMZ report that surfaced Monday, in which a man named Johnny Wilkes said he is suing West, who works as a consultant with the Clippers, for $2.5 million plus damages. Wilkes alleges the two struck an agreement to help the team land Leonard in July 2019, for which he was never paid.
The Clippers acknowledged an investigation was ongoing in a statement Thursday night.
"The lawsuit filed by Johnny Wilkes is replete with inaccuracies and the allegations are baseless," the Clippers said. "The Clippers are fully cooperating with the NBA in its investigation, which is standard when these types of allegations are made."
Wilkes alleges West agreed that the Clippers would pay him to convince Leonard to sign as a free agent weeks after telling West that he was close with the forward and his uncle, Dennis Robertson.
It's also alleged Wilkes told West and the team that acquiring Paul George was necessary to entice Leonard. Wilkes says he provided West with "vital" information that the Clippers used during their free-agency meeting with Leonard.
Wilkes claims he also brokered an agreement between West and Robertson, in which the latter would receive a home in Southern California and a travel expense account.
West has denied all allegations.
"I am not aware of any lawsuit being filed against me and I deny engaging in any improper conduct in connection with the signing of Kawhi Leonard," West told TMZ in a statement through a representative.
Following the 2019 free-agency period, the NBA announced it was implementing stricter punishments for teams found guilty of tampering or entering into unauthorized agreements. Punishments can include fines of up to $10 million and the loss of future draft picks.
Leonard signed a three-year, $103-million deal with the Clippers in 2019. He could become a free agent in 2021 if he declines his $36-million player option for the 2021-22 season.