'It's a crime.' Stephen A. laments Kawhi Leonard's lack of punishment

The Los Angeles Clippers sit at 42–40, ninth in the Western Conference and ranked 16th in the league’s power rankings. Their recent form shows a modest improvement, with a 6–4 record over the last ten games and a net rating of +1.1. The team’s roster has changed dramatically after the delayed trade that sent Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors, a move confirmed by multiple reports.

Leonard, now wearing #2 for Toronto, posted season averages of 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists on 50.5% shooting in 65 games. The NBA’s commissioner, Adam Silver, has indicated that the league has imposed “appropriate consequences” for the Clippers’ handling of the Leonard situation, though he also noted the difficulty of issuing a harsher punishment. Stephen A. Smith’s criticism reflects the broader sentiment that the league’s response may be insufficient given the circumstances.