Leonard declines to discuss Clippers investigation, wants focus on basketball

Kawhi Leonard used media day to announce he will not discuss the NBA investigation concerning him, the Los Angeles Clippers, and alleged salary cap circumvention. The forward said that after conversations with the NBA and the Players Association, he decided the best path forward is to stop publicly addressing the matter and instead focus on his new chapter with the Raptors.

Leonard noted that over the past 70 days he had been under intense scrutiny, which prevented him from meeting teammates or taking part in training camp activities. He pointed out that an official statement on the matter has already been released, and that he simply wants to return his attention to basketball.

Move to Toronto

This summer, Leonard was part of a trade sending him to Toronto, with the Clippers receiving Brandon Ingram and Grady Dick in return. Before the trade, the NBA had been investigating possible violations tied to Leonard's contract with the Clippers regarding salary cap rules.

At media day, Leonard directed all attention to the coming season, speaking about new teammates including Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett. Toronto holds a special place for Leonard — during the 2018-19 season he led the Raptors to their first NBA championship in franchise history and was named Finals MVP.

His departure from the Clippers closes out a multi-year run with the franchise. This coming season, the 35-year-old will get his first chance to return to Los Angeles as an opponent, but for now he says his priority is the new season and basketball, not revisiting his former team's history.