Danilo Gallinari Blames Kawhi Leonard for Jeopardizing His NBA Career: “He Should Pay All of That $50 Million”
Kawhi Leonard demanding for Paul George saw the Clippers trade Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and other assets to the Thunder.
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Kawhi Leonard and Danilo Gallinari (Image via AP Hoops/Hashtag Basketball/X)
The NBA bringing down the hammer on the Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, his top executives, and superstar Kawhi Leonard for salary cap circumvention tactics brought a sigh of relief among the league’s fans.
Many felt that this was necessary to stop it from happening again and damaging the sport. That was because, before the verdict was announced, many felt that the Clippers, with Ballmer’s financial ight could get away with it.
That could have led to a dangerous precedent for the rest of the league. However, the NBA decided that taking a stand was more important for its integrity.
While Ballmer and the Clippers faced tough penalties, many alleged that Leonard ‘got off easy.’ Not only is his $700,000 fine a pittance compared to the millions he received from various entities, but some believe that he should repay the $28 million.
He should pay all of that $50 million. He changed the trajectory of my career and put me in a difficult situation by sending me away from Los Angeles. 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.
Danilo Gallinari said
The former NBA star essentially blamed Leonard for costing him millions of dollars that he would have earned had he stayed with the Clippers. Instead, the two-time Finals MVP wanted his own crew and forced the team to trade away the Italian. Danilo Gallinari claims it cost him $50 million and that Kawhi Leonard should repay it.
Danilo Gallinari was on course to earn a fat contract before Kawhi Leonard arrived
Many might scoff at this idea, claiming that Danilo Gallinari was not necessarily a player who could have helped the Los Angeles Clippers win an NBA championship. After all, he was essentially a bridge player after the previous Lob City experiment ended with nothing. However, the forward did give the team the boost it needed and returned to the playoffs in his second season there.
The former sixth-overall pick was the team’s third-best scorer despite playing fewer games than those ahead of him. Had he stayed with the Clippers, Gallinari may have landed a big paycheck.
He might be slightly exaggerating with the $50 million claims, but it would have been longer and richer than the three-year, $61.4 million contract he signed with the Atlanta Hawks a year later.
That was his last major deal, as injuries and a drop in production saw Danilo Gallinari become a trade asset rather than someone a team wants to rely on while fighting for a title. However, he believes that before his exit from the NBA, he could have earned his biggest paycheck if not for Kawhi Leonard meddling with his plans.
Clippers will not fight the NBA in court
Kawhi Leonard might never agree to these claims, and neither will Danilo Gallinari get a chance to prove his worth in the NBA. Both will now move on to the next stages of their life where the former edges towards retirement, and the latter is now enjoying time after basketball.
The only entities in this entire salary cap circumvention scandal that are going to face the music for the next several years are the Los Angeles Clippers, its owner Steve Ballmer, and his top executives.
Apart from levying steep fines, the league will also monitor the team for the next five years. That, and the PR fallout, will leave the Clippers having to bow their heads publicly.
Knowing this is going to hamper his team’s competitiveness over the next few years, Ballmer and his team immediately made it clear that they were going to fight the NBA in court.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is complying with the NBA's punishments of the franchise for salary cap circumvention, deciding not to pursue any legal action. Statement from Ballmer:
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 14, 2026
This has been a very difficult time for everybody associated with the Clippers, and for that, I…
However, after a few days of deliberation, it seems they came to their senses and realized it would be a fruitless battle. Ballmer, through his team’s social media page, gave a statement that they are accepting the NBA’s findings and will not fight it in court.
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Joseph Varghese
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