Kawhi Leonard Blames Media For Perception He Did Lakers & Raptors Dirty

Leonard says he was professional throughout the entire free agency process.

BYAlexander Cole
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Kawhi Leonard has come under fire over the last few weeks for how he handled free agency and how his Uncle Dennis was a part of the negotiations. On Monday, Stephen A. Smith claimed that Kawhi's uncle made a plethora of bizarre requests such as houses, planes, and sponsorship money. According to Smith, this led to the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors feeling slighted by the two-time NBA champion. In a recent interview with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Leonard denied any wrongdoing and said the media shouldn't have been so quick to judge.

“I didn’t lead anyone on really,” Leonard said. “I took my time in free agency as I should, making sure that I make the best decision for myself and my family. I feel like some of the media coverage over it made it feel that way. Whoever is telling those statements, you shouldn’t believe rumors. I don’t want to ever have that bad karma come back to me, having the Lakers miss out on players that they should’ve gotten, and vice versa with the Raptors."

Yesterday, Kawhi and Paul George were introduced to the Clippers media where both players expressed their excitement over playing with the Clippers. Heading into next season, the Clippers finally have a shot dethroning the Lakers as the marquee team in the city.


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About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the "Beluga 2.0" colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it. When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven't won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime. Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.