NBA Rumors: League Officials Investigating Clippers, Jerry West Over Kawhi Leonard Deal

The NBA has reportedly launched its own investigation into the allegations made against the Los Angeles Clippers and its executive board member Jerry West for violating NBA policy when they acquired Kawhi Leonard in 2019.

The allegations were revealed in a lawsuit filed by Johnny Wilkes, who claims to have close ties with Leonard and his uncle, Dennis Robertson, who was promised a Southern California home and a travel expense account.

The lawsuit states that West promised the petitioner a sum of $2.5 million for helping the Clippers sign the then-superstar free agent. The team executive is said to have agreed to the terms.

If the allegations lodged against West and the Clippers turn out to be true, it will be a violation, which is certain to incur a fine or some sort of disciplinary action from the league office.

West, however, has denied the allegations made by Wilkes.

"I deny engaging in any improper conduct in connection with the signing of Kawhi Leonard,” he told TMZ Sports.

Apart from handing West a game plan on how to approach Leonard, Wilkes also claims to have told the Clippers that they had to take Paul George in to have any chance of landing the two-time NBA champion in free agency.

Leonard eventually signed with the Clippers after they obtained George from the Oklahoma City Thunder, but Wilkes alleges West failed to honor their agreement and didn't compensate him for his services.

Though Leonard will have the option to opt-out of his contract with the Clippers next season, he is expected to re-sign with the franchise rather than test the waters of free agency.

This comes after ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that George has inked a new four-year deal with the Clippers.