Draymond Green is glad Kawhi Leonard avoided the bulk of the punishment handed down to the Los Angeles Clippers after the NBA’s salary-cap investigation, while questioning the league’s restrictions on players earning additional money through sponsorship opportunities.
Speaking on The Draymond Green Show, the Golden State Warriors forward said he was pleased that the Clippers organization absorbed most of the sanctions rather than Leonard, who was fined $700,000 but was not suspended.
“I’m happy the team got the bulk of the penalty and not Kawhi. We heard a lot that Kawhi may be suspended and I’m happy he didn’t get suspended,” Green said, via HoopsHype.
The NBA announced that the Clippers violated salary-cap circumvention rules after an independent investigation by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz found what the league described as a “pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations.”
According to the NBA, the Clippers initiated and facilitated endorsement opportunities between Leonard and four companies that conducted business with the team: Aspiration Partners, Boingo Wireless, Daktronics and Lockton Insurance.
The league said the Clippers induced companies to enter endorsement agreements with Leonard by offering them team business while also paying personal expenses for Leonard and his representatives.
The NBA determined that Leonard violated the circumvention rules through actions taken on his behalf by his former business manager, Dennis Robertson. Robertson received a five-year ban from conducting business with NBA teams and affiliates on behalf of players or league personnel.
The Clippers received the largest organizational penalty, forfeiting their first-round picks in the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033 NBA Drafts while also being fined $30 million.
Owner Steve Ballmer was suspended from all league and team activities for one year, while president of business operations Gillian Zucker received a one-year unpaid suspension. President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was suspended without pay for six months.
Green focused on the broader issue of player compensation and questioned why players face restrictions when attempting to earn additional income through relationships with sponsors.
“And like I said, address the issues of the salary cap. I think that’s what comes out of this. Why is there a salary cap? Why are guys being prevented from making money from team sponsors or league sponsors or whoever else?” Green said.
The four-time NBA champion argued that the situation appeared particularly difficult to reconcile with the league’s emphasis on players having greater influence over NBA business and economics.
“And we talk about we’re in a league that is player-centric, that is player-focused, that is player-driven, that has the best interest for the players. And here was a situation where a guy can make 20 to 30 extra million dollars and we’re like, oh yeah, you’re in trouble,” Green said.
Leonard’s punishment was limited to a $700,000 fine, with the NBA stating that the penalties imposed under its agreement with the NBPA are final and binding.
The 35-year-old forward averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 65 games during the 2025-26 season, shooting 50.5% from the field and 38.7% from three-point range. He earned All-NBA Second Team honors and finished seventh in MVP voting.
Leonard was traded by the Clippers to the Toronto Raptors during the offseason, ending his seven-year NBA career in Los Angeles.
“I’m happy Kawhi didn’t get the bulk of this punishment. I think that is absolutely beautiful,” Green concluded.
