Danilo Gallinari calls out Kawhi Leonard. Image via: Getty Images
Danilo Gallinari says Kawhi Leonard played a direct role in changing the course of his NBA career after his decision to join the Clippers in 2019. Gallinari, who had stayed two seasons in Los Angeles from 2017 to 2019, was moved to Oklahoma City along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and five first-round picks in the deal for George. Leonard was fined $700,000 as part of the NBA’s punishment involving the Clippers, while the franchise and owner Steve Ballmer faced the brunt of the penalties. The 38-year-old has played 778 NBA games across 14 seasons, with his most recent NBA action coming during the 2023-24 season with the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards. “He should pay all of that $50 million.
Years later, the veteran forward says he was the player who ultimately paid the biggest price for a move he had no control over. And that set off a chain of events that, as you can see, were far from normal,” Gallinari said. Gallinari added, “I was the one who ultimately paid the price,” Gallinari said “I was the one who suffered the consequences. He changed the trajectory of my career and put me in a difficult situation by sending me away from Los Angeles,” Gallinari said about Leonard’s situation with the Clippers and how it affected him.
Gallinari was one of the players sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the trade that brought Paul George to the Clippers ahead of Leonard’s arrival. His latest comments were especially pointed. “The truth is, we ended up taking some great paths, my year in Oklahoma was fantastic, but my NBA journey wasn’t shaped by a GM or an owner, like it was the Knicks; it was shaped by a player. A player who decided the team wasn’t working and wanted something else. Gallinari believes Leonard should bear a much larger financial consequence over the Clippers situation.