Former Staffer Sues Clippers Alleging Wrongful Termination Over Kawhi Leonard Health Concerns

10/24/2024 04:11 PM

Randy Shelton, a former strength and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Clippers has sued the franchise and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, alleging wrongful termination in part for raising concerns about the management of Kawhi Leonard's health and injuries.

Shelton joined the Clippers on July 1, 2019 after serving in a similar role at San Diego where he worked with Leonard.

Shelton said he was part of a multiyear effort to recruit Leonard that "leapt well beyond the bounds of the NBA constitution" with respect to potential tampering violations.

He is seeking "significant" but unspecified damages at trial, his attorneys told ESPN.

The Clippers denied the allegations in a statement.

"Mr. Shelton's claims were investigated and found to be without merit. We honored Mr. Shelton's employment contract and paid him in full," the team said. "This lawsuit is a belated attempt to shake down the Clippers based on accusations that Mr. Shelton should know are false."

Shelton said the Clippers first contacted him in 2017 after Leonard suffered a severe ankle injury during the 2017 Western Conference Finals.

Beginning in 2017, while Leonard remained under contract with the Spurs, Shelton said a Clippers executive contacted him to seek "private health information" about Leonard and expressed the need for "discretion."

Shelton alleges that the Clippers' recruiting efforts were in "disregard for the NBA's prohibitions on tampering." Article 35 of the NBA's constitution prohibits teams from "directly or indirectly" attempting to entice players under contract with one team to join a different team.