[外絮] Kawhi Leonard在洛杉磯的動盪時光(文長)

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作者:超愛寫超級長文的Baxter Holmes

ON AUG. 18, 2014, Steve Ballmer shouted, chest-bumped and high-fived his way
through a frenzied crowd of 4,500 fans inside Staples Center in downtown Los
Angeles. Eminem's "Lose Yourself" thumped overhead. The former Microsoft CEO
had just paid a then-record $2 billion for the LA Clippers, at once rescuing
the team, the city of Los Angeles and the NBA from one of its darkest eras.

2014年8月18日，Steve Ballmer在洛杉磯市中心的Staples Center，穿過瘋狂的4500名球迷，一路大喊、胸口撞擊並擊掌。Eminem的Lose Yourself在上空震耳欲聾地響起。這位前微軟CEO剛剛以當時破紀錄的2B買下洛杉磯快艇，一舉拯救了球隊、洛杉磯以及NBA脫離其最黑暗的時代之一。

"We're going to be bold. Bold means taking chances," Ballmer thundered into
the microphone after taking the stage. "We're going to be optimistic. We're
going to be hardcore. Nothing gets in our way -- boom! The hardcore Clippers.That's us."

Ballmer took questions from season-ticket holders, including one who was 26
and wanted to know how the next 26 years of the franchise would be different
after the 33-year tenure of former owner Donald Sterling.

"我們要大膽。大膽意味著要敢於冒險，"Ballmer走上舞台後對著麥克風大聲喊道。"我們要樂觀。我們要硬派。沒有任何東西能擋在我們面前--砰！鐵血快艇。這就是我們。"

Ballmer回答了季票持有者的提問，其中一位26歲的球迷想知道，在前任老闆Donald
Sterling掌控33年之後，球隊未來26年會有什麼不同。

"I'll boldly say the Clippers will win many, many more Larrys in the next 26
years than they did in the last 26," Ballmer said, referring to the Larry
O'Brien Trophy.

Ballmer possessed unmatched monetary resources and ambition to construct a
dynasty from the smoldering ruins of Sterling's disgraced tenure. Ballmer wascompetitive and innovative, unafraid to dig into some of the deepest pockets
on Earth, driven to bring his championship aspirations to life.

"我大膽地說，快艇在未來26年裡會贏得比過去26年更多更多的Larry，"Ballmer說道，這裡指的是Larry O'Brien總冠軍金盃。

Ballmer擁有無與倫比的財力和野心，要從Sterling丟盡顏面的殘局裡建立一個王朝。
Ballmer具有強烈的競爭心與創新精神，毫不畏懼動用世上最深厚的資金，只為將他的冠軍夢想化為現實。

Eleven years later, Ballmer's biggest and most ambitious bet to deliver that
championship -- or even the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance -- has
failed on the court. During the six seasons since the Clippers' blockbuster
2019 acquisition of superstar Kawhi Leonard, the team has won just three
playoff series and Leonard has played in only 42% of its games.

11年後，Ballmer為了奪冠、甚至只是帶領球隊首次打進NBA總決賽而下的最大、最雄心勃勃的賭注，在球場上宣告失敗。自2019年快艇大手筆引進超級球星Kawhi Leonard的六個賽季以來，球隊僅僅贏下三個季後賽系列戰，而Leonard只出賽了42%的比賽。

But that failure extends further, because from nearly since the moment
Leonard signed in Los Angeles, Ballmer and the team have also drawn
unprecedented and serious scrutiny from the NBA league office and the rest ofthe NBA.

但這場失敗的範圍更廣，因為幾乎自Leonard在洛杉磯簽約的那一刻起，Ballmer和球隊就受到NBA聯盟辦公室以及整個聯盟前所未有且嚴格的審視。

Since 2019, the Clippers have faced two separate lawsuits alleging tampering
violations involving Leonard, one of which remains ongoing. They've been
fined at least twice by the NBA for violations of league rules involving
Leonard. There have also been at least three NBA investigations -- the latestof which just began -- into the Clippers involving Leonard.

自2019年以來，快艇已面臨2起涉及Leonard的訴訟，指控他們違規招募，其中一件至今仍在進行中。他們至少因為與Leonard有關的聯盟規則違規而被NBA罰款2次。此外，NBA至少已對快艇與Leonard展開三次調查--最新的一次才剛開始。

The shadow of this latest one -- which will examine allegations that the
Clippers circumvented the salary cap, with Leonard receiving a $28 million
sponsorship deal from Aspiration, a now-bankrupt company that Ballmer
invested $50 million in -- will hover over the team entering training camp.
And it could continue into the season, following a summer in which the
Clippers tried to bolster a roster that won 50 games last season before
losing in the first round to Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. They
reunited with 40-year-old point guard Chris Paul for his 21st NBA season.
They added 32-year-old shooting guard Bradley Beal after his tumultuous stintin Phoenix. They re-signed 36-year-old shooting guard James Harden to a
two-year deal. They added 27-year-old forward John Collins and 37-year-old
center Brook Lopez to strengthen a front line anchored by blossoming
28-year-old center Ivica Zubac.

最新這起調查內容將檢視快艇是否規避薪資上限，因為Leonard收到Aspiration(一間如今已破產、而Ballmer投資了50M的公司)提供的28M贊助合約，這調查將籠罩著球隊進入訓練營。而且這項調查可能會延續到賽季之中。就在這個夏天，快艇努力補強陣容:這支球隊上賽季贏下 50 場比賽，但在首輪被Nikola Jokic和丹佛金塊淘汰。他們迎回40歲控衛ChrisPaul，開啟他第21個NBA賽季;他們簽下32歲得分後衛Bradley Beal，在他結束在鳳凰城的動盪時期後加入;他們與36歲得分後衛James Harden續約兩年;他們又引進27歲前鋒John
Collins以及37歲中鋒Brook Lopez，來強化前途看好的28歲中鋒Ivica Zubac為核心的鋒線。

But the team's centerpiece remains Leonard, who will be paid $50 million nextseason and is eligible for an extension next summer.

Several rival executives said the Clippers' initial investment in Leonard --
though it came at what was then deemed a steep cost -- was a smart move that
any team would've made at the time, especially one with the Clippers' long
track record losing and dysfunction.

但這支球隊的核心仍然是Leonard，他下賽季將獲得50M的薪資，並在明年夏天有資格簽下延長合約。

數位競爭對手的高層表示，快艇最初對Leonard的投資--儘管當時被認為代價高昂--仍是一個明智的舉措，任何球隊在那個時候都會這麼做，特別是對於一支有著長期失敗與混亂歷史的快艇而言。

But now those same executives all judge the return on that investment in the
same way.

"Looking back, the deal was a f---ing disaster," one rival GM told ESPN.

Interviews with nearly two dozen team sources, former staffers, rival
executives, agents and others across the league convey the same. They reveal
how a team desperate for a star -- and relevance -- capitulated to Leonard
and those around him, seeking to keep him happy and healthy, even as the
organization's culture devolved into an internal mixture of fear and secrecy
and an external stream of legal battles and allegations of misconduct.

"This last investigation is different," a former Clippers staffer said of theleague's inquiry into a sponsorship deal with a company that Ballmer investedin. "This one directly calls into question Steve Ballmer's character.

"At some point, Steve has got to get out of the Kawhi business."

但如今，那些相同的高層都以同樣的方式來評價這項投資的回報。

"回頭看，這筆交易真他媽是一場災難，"一位競爭對手的總經理告訴 ESPN。

對將近二十位球隊消息來源、前員工、競爭對手高層、經紀人以及聯盟其他人士的訪談都傳達出同樣的結論。他們揭示了一支渴望明星--以及存在感--的球隊，如何屈服於Leonard與其身邊人馬，努力讓他開心並保持健康，即便這讓組織文化逐漸墮落為內部的恐懼與秘密交織，以及外部不斷湧現的法律糾紛與不當行為指控。

"這次的調查不一樣，"一名前快艇員工在談到聯盟對一份涉及Ballmer投資的公司的贊助合約展開的調查時說。"這次直接對 Steve Ballmer 的人格提出質疑。"

"總有一天，Steve必須脫離Kawhi。"

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AS THE NIGHT grew long on July 5, 2019, Clippers executives sat together in aconference room on a high floor of a Regus coworking space in El Segundo,
California.

The walls were thin and the anxiety was high. For days, everyone had worried
that the superstar free agent that they'd been chasing for years, the player
they believed could instantly transform their franchise, would, at the very
last minute, scorn them for their hated cross-city rival, the Los Angeles
Lakers.

2019年7月5日夜深時分，快艇的高層們聚集在加州El Segundo一棟Regus共享辦公空間高樓層的一間會議室裡。

牆壁很薄，焦慮感卻很重。過去幾天，所有人都擔心，他們追逐多年的那位超級自由球員--他們相信能瞬間改變球隊命運的人--會在最後一刻拒絕他們，轉而投向他們最痛恨的同城宿敵，洛杉磯湖人。

They had met with Leonard four days earlier, and after learning that he wouldsign with the Clippers only if they acquired Paul George from Oklahoma City,
they had spent almost the entire time since working to hammer out a deal withthe Thunder.

The ultimate framework: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, forward Danilo Gallinari, a
then-unprecedented five first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps for
George.

Ballmer was concerned by the number of draft picks the team was giving up,
then-Clippers head coach Doc Rivers later told reporters in September 2019,
and he wasn't the only one to feel that way.

他們在四天前與Leonard見過面，並得知只有當快艇從奧克拉荷馬得到Paul George時，他才會簽約。自那之後，他們幾乎把所有時間都花在與雷霆磋商交易上。

最終的交易架構是:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander、前鋒Danilo Gallinari、前所未有的5個首輪選秀權，以及兩個首輪選秀交換權，來換取George。

Ballmer對於球隊放棄的選秀權數量感到擔憂，當時的快艇總教練Doc Rivers在2019年9月告訴記者這件事，而這種感受並不只他一人有。

Some staffers feared the deal would have similar ramifications to the
infamous 2013 Boston-Brooklyn swap, when the Celtics acquired three
first-round draft picks and a first-round pick swap in return for two aging
stars in Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. That trade ultimately set up the
Celtics for the next decade, yielding them foundational stars Jayson Tatum
and Jaylen Brown, who led them to the 2024 title.

一些員工擔心這筆交易會帶來類似於臭名昭著的2013年波士頓與布魯克林的交換案的後果。當時，塞爾提克用兩位年邁球星Paul Pierce和Kevin Garnett，換回3個首輪選秀權以及一個首輪選秀交換權。那筆交易最終為塞爾提克奠定了接下來十年的基礎，讓他們得到核心球星Jayson Tatum和Jaylen Brown，並帶領球隊奪下2024年總冠軍。

The Nets, meanwhile, went nowhere, and the deal became a cautionary tale.

The Clippers were also nervous about trading Gilgeous-Alexander, a dynamic
young guard who had just been named to the NBA All-Rookie second team.

But just weeks earlier, Leonard had won a title with the Toronto Raptors; he
was uninterested in waiting on a young player to develop.

與此同時，籃網一無所獲，而那筆交易也成為一個警示寓言。

快艇同樣對送走Gilgeous-Alexander感到不安，這位充滿活力的年輕後衛剛剛入選NBA新秀第二隊。

但就在幾週前，Leonard才剛與多倫多暴龍奪冠;他對等待一名年輕球員成長並不感興趣。

Acquiring George was one of several requests made by Leonard and his camp,
led by Leonard's uncle, Dennis Robertson, who outlined a series of asks for
the Clippers in the days leading up to July 5.

Those requests included part ownership of the team, access to a private
plane, a house and guaranteed off-court endorsement money, one source with
direct knowledge of the talks said. They were the same requests that,
according to The Athletic, Robertson made of the Lakers and the Raptors. The
Toronto Star reported on Sept. 9 that Robertson also asked the Raptors for
ownership stakes in outside companies and corporate sponsorship deals in
which Leonard wouldn't have to do anything in return for the money. Robertsondid not respond to requests for comment for either story.

得到George是Leonard陣營提出的多項要求之一，這些要求由Leonard的舅舅Dennis
Robertson主導，他在7月5日前幾天為快艇列出了一系列條件。

一位直接知情的消息人士表示，那些要求包括球隊部分股權、使用私人飛機、一棟房子，以及有保障的場外代言收入。根據The Athletic的報導，這些與Robertson向湖人和暴龍提出的要求完全相同。Toronto Star在9月9日報導，Robertson甚至還要求暴龍提供外部公司的股權，以及企業贊助合約，而Leonard不需要付出任何勞力就能拿到錢。Robertson對這兩則報導的訪問請求均未作出回應。

These verbal requests fell outside the boundaries of the league's collective
bargaining agreement, and while the Clippers didn't say yes to them, they didsay yes to others, according to a source with knowledge of the talks.

Robertson, who did not respond to a request for comment for this story,
wanted Leonard to be able to initially live in San Diego rather than in Los
Angeles. (Leonard would commute via helicopter. He later moved to Los
Angeles.) The Clippers agreed. He wanted Leonard to be able to skip some
media obligations and team community events. The Clippers agreed. He wanted
the team to promise to market Leonard individually. The Clippers agreed. He
wanted Leonard to be able to bring some of his own people into the
organization. The Clippers agreed. (A team source disputes the existence of
some of these requests and the tone of some others.)

這些口頭上的要求超出了聯盟勞資協議的範圍，而根據一位知情人士透露，快艇雖然沒有答應這些，但他們答應了其他要求。

Robertson(他沒有回應這篇報導的置評請求)希望Leonard起初能住在聖地牙哥，而不是洛杉磯。(Leonard 當時以直升機通勤，後來才搬到洛杉磯。)快艇同意了。他希望Leonard能夠翹掉部分媒體義務與球隊社區活動。快艇同意了。他希望球隊承諾單獨替Leonard做市場行銷。快艇同意了。他希望Leonard能夠把自己的一些人馬帶進球隊組織內。快艇同意了。(不過一位球隊消息人士對部分要求的存在，以及部分要求的語氣，提出了質疑。)

Perhaps most importantly, Robertson said there would need to be a strict
protocol about how to talk about Leonard publicly -- and that was to say
nothing unless absolutely necessary.

Rival head coaches told ESPN that the last request is not unusual for stars,
and the Clippers, seeking to establish themselves as a star-friendly
organization, again agreed. They badly wanted Leonard. They had even fired
one of their own broadcasters, Bruce Bowen, in 2018, after he made what they
viewed as negative comments about Leonard on the air.

或許最重要的是，Robertson表示，必須有一套嚴格的規範，來規定公開場合如何談論
Leonard--原則上除非絕對必要，否則什麼都不要說。

對手的總教練告訴ESPN，最後這個要求對明星球員來說並不罕見，而快艇為了塑造自己是一支對明星友善的球隊，再次答應了。他們非常渴望得到Leonard。早在 2018 年，他們甚至就因為自家播報員Bruce Bowen在直播中發表了他們認為對Leonard帶有負面色彩的言論，而將其開除。

By 8:19 p.m. PT on July 5, 2019, as the outlines of the deal with Oklahoma
City took shape, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck in Ridgecrest, California,about 150 miles north from where the Clippers' brain trust had gathered. It
was the largest earthquake to hit Southern California in nearly two decades,
and was felt as far away as Las Vegas, where the NBA world was gathered for
summer league.

As the building shook, dust from ceiling tiles fell on the heads of Clippers
staffers, who quickly ducked into a nearby stairwell. Unscathed but rattled,
they emerged and worked to hammer out the deal, one they were desperate to
close.

2019年7月5日太平洋時間晚上8點19分，當與奧克拉荷馬的交易框架逐漸成形時，加州
Ridgecrest(距離快艇高層聚集地點約150英里以北)發生了7.1級地震。這是近二十年來襲擊南加州最大的地震，震感甚至傳到了遠在拉斯維加斯、當時正舉行夏季聯賽的NBA世界。

隨著大樓搖晃，天花板上的灰塵落在快艇員工的頭上，他們趕緊躲進附近的樓梯間。雖然毫髮無傷，但心神不寧，他們隨後走出來，繼續努力敲定那筆他們迫切想完成的交易。

Nearly three hours later, at 10:54 p.m. PT, Leonard had informed teams of hisdecision to sign with the Clippers. One minute later, the news of the
Clippers' trade for George broke too.

Among the LA staff, there was jubilation.

Four days later, Leonard signed a three-year, $103.1 million deal that
included a player option for the final season.

將近三個小時後，在太平洋時間晚上10點54分，Leonard通知各隊他決定與快艇簽約。一分鐘後，快艇交易得到George的消息也隨之傳出。

在洛杉磯快艇的球隊職員之間，這是一片歡騰。

四天之後，Leonard簽下了一份三年103.1M的合約，最後一年包含球員選項。

Excitement swept over the Clippers franchise. But multiple sources also say aseparate emotion began creeping its way into the organization, one that wouldbecome deeply entrenched in the days, weeks and years ahead. It ultimately
defined the culture as much as the team's aspirations to win a title with itsnew superstar forward aboard.

That feeling, they say, was fear.

快艇整個球團都被興奮的情緒所席捲。但多方消息人士也表示，另一種情緒同時開始悄然蔓延進入這個組織，並在之後的日子、數週甚至數年間深深扎根。它最終與球隊渴望在這位新加盟的超級前鋒帶領下爭冠一樣，成為定義其文化的核心。

他們說，那種情緒是恐懼。

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NBA TEAMS HAVE long lived in fear of upsetting their stars, a sentiment that
predates Leonard's arrival in Los Angeles and has been prevalent across the
league. Given the Clippers' past, and the future they hoped to forge, that
dynamic was compounded.

The Clippers were desperate to prove that they knew how to accommodate star
players, according to team sources and agents with close ties to the team,
and that they were far removed from the scandal-plagued, loss-filled era
under Sterling.

NBA球隊長期以來都生活在害怕惹惱球星的陰影下，這種情緒早在Leonard抵達洛杉磯之前就已存在，並且在整個聯盟中普遍存在。鑒於快艇的過往，以及他們希望打造的未來，這種氛圍在此更加強烈。

根據球隊內部人士與與球隊關係密切的經紀人透露，快艇迫切想證明他們懂得如何滿足球星，並且與Sterling主政時充滿醜聞與失敗的時代徹底劃清界線。

Just eight games into Leonard's first season, one of the Clippers' first
promises -- to be silent when it came to matters of Leonard's health -- was
tested.

It was Nov. 6, 2019, and the Clippers hosted the Bucks on the first night of
a back-to-back. Leonard sat out that game for "load management" of an
undisclosed left knee injury. He had done the same on an earlier back-to-backset in the young season, sitting out the first of the two games for the same
stated reason.

在Leonard的第一個賽季僅僅進行到第8場比賽時，快艇最初的承諾之一--對於Leonard的健康問題保持沉默--便受到了考驗。

那是2019年11月6日，快艇在B2B的第一晚迎戰公鹿。Leonard因為"負載管理"而缺席了這場比賽，理由是一個未公開的左膝傷勢。在這個賽季稍早的一次B2B比賽中，他也曾以同樣的理由缺席了其中第一場。

It wasn't unusual for Leonard to sit out a game as he managed his health.
He'd famously done so during prior stops in San Antonio and Toronto, and the
Clippers were under no illusion that he'd be playing in every game for them.

Before the game, Rivers was asked about Leonard's health. The then-Clippers'
coach said that Leonard "feels great" and that there was no reason to be
concerned.

Leonard因為健康管理而缺席比賽並不罕見。他在過去替聖安東尼奧與多倫多效力時就以此聞名，而快艇也很清楚，他不可能為他們打滿每一場比賽。

在比賽開始前，Rivers被問到Leonard的健康狀況。當時的快艇教練表示，Leonard"感覺很好"，沒有什麼需要擔心的理由。

Soon after, one source with direct knowledge of the interaction said, the
Clippers received a call from a reporter seeking comment after learning that
Leonard's health wasn't as "great" as the team was saying publicly. Then the
reporter contacted the league office to see if NBA officials had any clarity
on the situation. Soon, the NBA began its own inquiry.

"The league office looked into it, and [the reporter] was right," the source
said. "The severity of Kawhi's injury was more significant than the team was
letting on."

The following afternoon, on Nov. 7, the league announced it was fining the
Clippers $50,000 for comments made by Rivers that "were inconsistent" with
Leonard's health, along with specifics about Leonard's health.

That the league had publicly revealed such particulars -- that he was
suffering from an ongoing injury to his patellar tendon -- sent shivers
through the organization, multiple sources said.

不久之後，一位直接知情人士表示，快艇接到一名記者的來電，這名記者在得知Leonard的健康狀況並不像球隊公開所說的那麼"良好"後，要求球隊作出回應。隨後，該記者聯繫了聯盟辦公室，詢問NBA官方是否能釐清情況。很快地，NBA開始了自己的調查。

"聯盟辦公室介入調查後，結果證明那位記者是對的，"消息人士說。"Kawhi傷勢的嚴重程度比球隊對外透露的還要大得多。"

隔天下午，也就是11月7日，聯盟宣布因為Rivers的言論與Leonard的健康狀況"不一致"，並且涉及具體健康細節，而對快艇處以50K罰款。

多方消息人士表示，聯盟公開揭露這樣的細節--Leonard正在遭受持續性的膝蓋髕腱傷勢--讓整個球團感到震驚。

The Clippers had watched from afar how Leonard's tenure with the Spurs had
ended because of a rift over how best to manage Leonard's health following a
March 2016 lower-body injury that the team declared was quadriceps
tendinopathy in 2017. ESPN's Michael Wright and Ramona Shelburne reported in
2018 that a key part of that divide was whether Leonard's issues were, as theSpurs believed after consulting with medical experts, degenerative and
irreversible, and would need to be managed indefinitely. Leonard's camp,
including Robertson, disagreed.

快艇曾遠距觀察到Leonard與馬刺的合作關係是如何走向終結的，起因是2016年3月他下半身受傷，球隊在2017年將其診斷為股四頭肌腱病，之後雙方在如何最佳管理Leonard的健康問題上出現了裂痕。ESPN記者Michael Wright與Ramona Shelburne在2018年報導，這場分歧的核心之一，是Leonard的問題是否如馬刺在諮詢醫學專家後所認為的那樣，是退化性且不可逆轉的，需要無限期管理。Leonard的陣營，包括Robertson，並不同意這一點。

Ultimately, Leonard requested a trade in the summer of 2018, with two years
left on the max deal he'd signed in 2015. Even before the Clippers signed
Leonard, they knew that if he could lose trust and dismantle a seven-season
relationship with the Spurs for such a reason, then he easily could do the
same to them.

"The Spurs were maybe the most respected, most revered pro sports team in
America," one former staffer said. "It was like if this guy is willing to
tell those people to go f--- themselves, he can't possibly be afraid to tell
us to go f--- ourselves. ... Everybody was afraid of Kawhi leaving." That
sentiment was echoed by multiple team and league sources.

最終，Leonard在2018年夏天提出了交易請求，當時他與馬刺在2015年簽下的頂薪合約還剩2年。在快艇簽下Leonard之前，他們就已經知道，如果Leonard能因這樣的理由失去信任並拆毀與馬刺長達七個賽季的關係，那麼他完全也可以對快艇做同樣的事。

"馬刺或許是全美最受尊敬、最受推崇的職業運動隊伍，"一名前員工說。"如果這傢伙敢對那些人說去你媽的，那他絕對不會怕對我們說去你媽的。......大家都害怕Kawhi會離開。"這種感受也被多位球隊與聯盟消息來源所呼應。

To the team's surprise and relief, Leonard and his camp believed the
franchise had held up their end, even if it had cost them $50,000.

"That was a feather in our cap, for sure," the former team staffer said.

Instead, Leonard directed his ire toward the league office.

"[The NBA's news release] was shocking, but it doesn't matter to me," Leonardsaid after scoring a game-high 27 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in a
107-101 win over the Trail Blazers later that night. "I'm not a guy who readsthe media anyway. We're going to manage it the best way we can to keep me
healthy. ... [The fine] was just disappointing. It feels like they want
players to play if they're not ready."

The NBA did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

令球隊感到意外又鬆了一口氣的是，Leonard和他的團隊認為，球隊已經履行了自己的承諾，即便這讓他們付出了5萬美元的代價。

"那確實是我們的榮譽之一，"一名前球隊員工說。

相反地，Leonard把怒火指向了聯盟辦公室。

"(NBA 的新聞稿)令人震驚，但對我來說無所謂，"Leonard在當晚比賽砍下全場最高的27分並抓下13個籃板，帶領球隊以107-101戰勝拓荒者後說道。"反正我不是會去看媒體的人。我們會用我們最好的方式去管理，以保持我的健康。......(那筆罰款)只是令人失望。感覺就像他們想要球員即使還沒準備好也得上場。"

NBA沒有對這篇報導的評論作出回應。

Rivers found himself in a complicated position: having to straddle the line
between protecting Leonard's request for intense secrecy regarding his
health, and respecting the league's mandate for transparency.

The next day, when asked about those two competing ideals after the NBA's
fine, and whether there was some middle ground, Rivers' answer offered a
window into the new dynamic forming across the organization.

Rivers發現自己處於一個複雜的處境:一方面必須維護Leonard對其健康狀況嚴格保密的要求，另一方面又得遵守聯盟對透明度的要求。

隔天，在NBA開罰後被問及這兩種相互矛盾的要求，以及是否存在某種中間點時，Rivers的回答揭示了當時整個球隊組織內正在形成的情況。

"I'm scared to answer," he told reporters before the Clippers faced the
Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 7, 2019. "That's my answer. I just won't
answer."

Across the organization, details about Leonard's health were considered
sacred secrets, multiple sources said, and a schism between those who were inthe know and those who weren't emerged early.

"He was very separate from [the Clippers'] staff," one source with knowledge
of the situation said.

"It caused extreme angst within the medical department," another former
staffer said. "It was like the Clippers' medical staff wasn't really allowed
to touch Kawhi ever."

"我害怕回答，"他在2019年11月7日快艇對戰波特蘭拓荒者之前告訴記者。"這就是我的回答。我乾脆不回答。"

多方消息人士表示，在整個組織內，Leonard的健康細節被視為神聖不可洩漏的秘密，而知情者與不知情者之間的分裂很早就出現了。

"他與(快艇)的工作人員非常隔離，"一位知情人士說。

"這在醫療部門內引發了極度焦慮，"另一名前員工說。"感覺就像快艇的醫療人員根本不被允許碰Kawhi。"

In an effort to placate Leonard, news releases, public statements and social
media posts that mentioned him received intense scrutiny both from the
Clippers' senior leadership and, where necessary, from Leonard's camp,
multiple sources said. While a team source said it was and is common practicefor the team to run potential public statements by those representing all
Clippers players, some team staffers nonetheless feared the wrong word or
term in anything related to Leonard could lead to Robertson calling
management and igniting a Spurs-like war.

The constant secrecy and tension surrounding Leonard -- and his health --
grated some staffers who interacted with players on a daily basis.

多方消息人士表示，為了安撫Leonard，所有提到他的新聞稿、公開聲明與社群媒體貼文，都會受到快艇高層以及在必要時Leonard陣營的嚴格審查。一位球隊消息人士表示，將可能的公開聲明先交給代表所有快艇球員的人員過目，這在過去與現在都是慣例，但仍有部分球隊員工擔心，在任何與Leonard相關的內容裡出現錯誤的字眼，可能會引來Robertson打電話給管理層，並引爆一場類似馬刺時期的衝突。

Leonard--以及他的健康--所帶來的持續保密與緊張氛圍，讓一些每天與球員互動的員工感到不耐煩。

"There was clearly a heightened sensitivity," one said.

"Everyone was so uptight," another said. "I'm telling you, when I say
uptight, I mean uptight."

"Kawhi Leonard is an elite player and admired teammate who has made
significant contributions to our organization," the Clippers wrote in a
statement to ESPN. "We treat Kawhi with the same respect as we do all of our
players and staff. Unfortunately, he's battled injuries, which have led to
undue scrutiny and criticism, but we appreciate his resilience and relentlesswork ethic. We're grateful he is part of our team and look forward to the
start of training camp."

"明顯地大家的敏感度被提高了，"一人說。

"每個人都非常緊繃，"另一人說。"我跟你說，我說的緊繃是真的緊繃。"

"Kawhi Leonard是一位精英球員，也是受人敬佩的隊友，他對我們的組織做出了重大貢獻，"快艇在給ESPN的聲明中寫道。"我們以對待所有球員和員工同樣的尊重來對待Kawhi。不幸的是，他一直與傷病搏鬥，這導致了過度的審視與批評，但我們感謝他的韌性與不懈的工作態度。我們很感激他是我們球隊的一份子，並期待訓練營的開始。"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEONARD ENTERED THE 2023-24 season eligible for a contract extension. As the
Clippers considered their options, a former team staffer said some within theteam had been fatigued by Leonard's injuries and lack of availability.

And because of that, the ex-staffer said, the Clippers could wield leverage.
Leonard had been eligible for a four-year, $220 million max contract, but theteam prioritized preserving salary cap flexibility -- especially because of
second-apron restrictions -- in part because they were also in extension
talks with George.

Leonard進入2023-24賽季時，已符合簽下延長合約的資格。當快艇在考慮各種選項時，一名前球隊員工表示，隊內有些人已經對Leonard的傷病與缺席感到厭倦。

該前員工表示，也正因如此，快艇理論上能握有一些談判籌碼。Leonard當時有資格簽下一份4年220M的頂薪合約，但球隊更優先考慮保持薪資上限的彈性--特別是因為第二層豪華稅限制--部分原因還在於他們同時也在與George進行延長合約的談判。

If Leonard, seeking a better deal, had threatened to test the free agent
market, any prospective team would want a thorough medical examination,
including any information that Leonard and his camp had sought to keep
private. That medical information could, in the hands of another team, be
leaked, the ex-staffer pointed out.

Privately, the Clippers fully understood the ins and outs of Leonard's
health. If this was what they were offering to pay him at this point in his
career, then there was a good reason behind it.

As one team source told ESPN, "We know what's under the hood."

一名前員工指出，如果Leonard為了尋求更好的合約而威脅要測試自由球員市場，那麼任何有意的球隊都會要求進行徹底的體檢，其中包括Leonard和他的團隊試圖保密的資訊。而這些醫療資訊，一旦落入其他球隊手中，就可能被洩露。

私底下，快艇完全清楚Leonard健康狀況的來龍去脈。如果在他職業生涯的這個階段，他們願意提供這樣的合約，那麼背後一定有其充分的理由。

正如一位球隊消息人士告訴 ESPN 的那樣:"我們知道引擎蓋下面有什麼。"

Still, while Clippers staffers feared agitating Leonard, they were quick to
say teammates liked and admired him, a sentiment that remains. When he
played, he played hard. When he worked out, his focus, determination and
discipline received consistent praise.

In January 2024, he agreed to a three-year deal worth $153 million.

A few months after signing his extension, during a season in which Leonard
played 68 regular-season games -- his most since 2016-17 -- the team seemed
primed for another playoff run.

But on March 31, 2024, following a win in Charlotte, Leonard began to
experience inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee. That
inflammation forced him to miss the final eight games of the regular season,
and Leonard played in just two games of the Clippers' six-game series loss toDallas in the first round. It marked the fourth straight Clippers postseason
marred by either a Leonard injury or his absence because of one.

儘管快艇的員工害怕惹惱Leonard，但他們很快也強調，隊友們喜歡並敬佩他，這種感受至今依然存在。他一旦上場，就會全力以赴;當他訓練時，他的專注、決心與自律一直獲得一致的讚譽。

在2024年1月，他同意了一份為期三年、價值153M的合約。

在簽下延長合約的幾個月後，那個賽季Leonard出戰了68場例行賽--這是自2016-17賽季以來最多的一次--球隊看似已為另一段季後賽征途做好準備。

但在2024年3月31日，在夏洛特的一場勝利之後，Leonard曾接受過手術的的右膝曾開始出現發炎。這次發炎迫使他缺席了例行賽最後八場比賽，而在首輪對達拉斯的六場系列賽中，Leonard只打了兩場。這標誌著快艇連續第四年在季後賽因Leonard的傷病或缺席而受到打擊。

After the postseason, Leonard had hoped to play for Team USA, which in
mid-April had named him one of its 12 players for the Paris Olympics.

Team USA imagined Leonard as a powerful addition who could halt virtually anykey international player the team would face, including Serbia's Nikola
Jokic. But given Leonard's knee inflammation, officials weren't sure whether
Leonard would be healthy enough to play.

It wasn't until the end of June that they learned that Leonard had undergone
a procedure on that knee two months earlier, in early May, which wouldn't
become public for several months.

在季後賽結束後，Leonard希望能代表美國隊出戰，而美國隊也在4月中旬將他列為巴黎奧運12人名單之一。

美國隊認為Leonard將會是強大的補強，可以封鎖幾乎任何國際賽的核心球員，包括塞爾維亞的Nikola Jokic。但考慮到Leonard膝蓋的發炎狀況，官員們並不確定他是否能健康出賽。

直到6月底，他們才得知Leonard在兩個月前，也就是5月初，已經對那隻膝蓋進行了手術，而這項消息要再過幾個月才會公開。

Team USA officials were shocked to learn about the procedure after the fact,
especially with training camp slated to open in early July in Las Vegas.

During camp, Leonard looked "slow and laboring," one source who watched him
said.

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, who took over for Rivers in October 2020 and was amember of Steve Kerr's coaching staff, stressed to Team USA officials that
Leonard knew his body, and that if he wasn't healthy, he wouldn't play -- butLue emphasized that Leonard wanted to play.

美國隊官員在事後得知這次手術時感到震驚，特別是訓練營預定於7月初在拉斯維加斯開幕。

一位觀察過他的消息人士說，在訓練營期間，Leonard 看起來"動作遲緩且吃力"。

快艇教練Tyronn Lue--他在2020年10月接替 Rivers，並且是Steve Kerr教練團的一員--強調對美國隊官員說，Leonard很了解自己的身體，如果他不健康，他就不會上場--但Lue也特別強調，Leonard想要打球。

Lawrence Frank, the Clippers' president of basketball operations, stressed
the same. But Team USA officials were unconvinced.

"I think he thought that he could come and rehab for three weeks with [Team
USA] and then he'd be ready to play in the Olympics," one source close to theprocess said. Team USA couldn't do that, sources said. Celtics guard Derrick
White replaced Leonard on the roster and went on to win the gold medal at theParis Olympics.

快艇籃球營運總裁Lawrence Frank也表達了同樣的立場。但美國隊官員仍不為所動。

"我想他以為自己可以跟著(美國隊)一起復健三週，然後就能準備好打奧運，"一位接近過程的消息人士說。但消息人士表示，美國隊沒辦法這樣做。塞爾提克後衛Derrick White取代了Leonard進入名單，並最終在巴黎奧運上贏得金牌。

While sources say Team USA officials regret how the situation played out,
those same officials also recognize that Leonard's camp hadn't been
forthcoming about the knee procedure or about his recovery.

All of it had been shrouded in secrecy.

On July 15, 2024, Frank addressed reporters about Team USA's decision, sayinghe was "very disappointed" by it, that Leonard wanted to play and that, when
he was there, Leonard looked healthy. Frank was asked if Leonard had
undergone any type of procedures or treatment to his right knee before camp.

He declined to comment, saying he wasn't going to get into specifics.

雖然消息人士表示，美國隊官員對於事情的發展感到遺憾，但這些官員也承認，Leonard的團隊並沒有坦率公開膝蓋手術或復健的情況。

這一切都被神秘的氛圍所籠罩。

2024年7月15日，Frank 在面對記者談到美國隊的決定時表示，他對此"非常失望"，並說Leonard想要打球，而且在他參加時看起來很健康。Frank被問到，Leonard是否在訓練營前對右膝接受過任何手術或治療。

他拒絕評論，表示自己不會進入具體細節。

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THREE MONTHS LATER, on Oct. 10, 2024, specifics about Leonard's health again
made headlines, when Randy Shelton, a former Clippers strength and
conditioning coach, filed a lawsuit against the team and Frank.

Shelton, who had a working relationship with Leonard dating back to Leonard'sdays at San Diego State more than a decade earlier, alleged that the team hadtampered to acquire Leonard, and wrongfully terminated him, in part, for
raising issues about how the team managed Leonard's health. He even alleged
that Leonard had suffered at least one injury -- two torn ligaments in his
right ankle in 2022 -- that the team appears to have never disclosed publicly.

三個月後，也就是2024年10月10日，Leonard的健康細節再度成為頭條新聞，因為前快艇體能訓練教練Randy Shelton對球隊與Frank提出了訴訟。

Shelton與Leonard的合作關係可追溯至十多年前Leonard在聖地牙哥州立大學的時期。他指控球隊為了得到Leonard有違規干涉行為，並且因他提出球隊在管理Leonard健康上的問題而不當解雇他。他甚至聲稱，Leonard曾至少遭受過一次傷病--2022年右腳踝兩條韌帶撕裂--而球隊似乎從未對外公開過這件事。

Later, Shelton alleged that Robertson negotiated Shelton's contract as an
unlicensed agent in California, which, Shelton's lawyers noted, could violatestate laws. Shelton's lawyers added that Shelton received a "direct threat"
from Robertson during the process: Either Shelton pay Robertson 10% of his
Clippers salary or he couldn't join the Clippers.

"This coercion, coupled with Robertson's widely reported control over the
Clippers' organization through his relationship with Kawhi Leonard, raises
significant concerns of duress and undue influence," Shelton's attorneys
wrote in a subsequent court filing.

The Clippers denied Shelton's allegations, believing the suit to be an
extortion attempt for millions. They sought to settle the matter through
arbitration.

之後，Shelton指控Robertson以加州未具備執照的經紀人身分替他談合約，而Shelton的律師指出，這可能違反州法。Shelton的律師補充說，在這個過程中，Shelton甚至遭到
Robertson的"直接威脅":要嘛Shelton把他在快艇薪水的10%付給Robertson，要嘛他就不能加入快艇。

"這種脅迫，再加上Robertson藉由與Kawhi Leonard的關係對快艇組織施加的廣泛控制，引發了對於強迫與不當影響的重大疑慮，"Shelton的律師在後續的法庭文件中寫道。

快艇否認了Shelton 指控，認為這起訴訟是企圖勒索數百萬美元。他們尋求透過仲裁來解決此事。

The team had fired Shelton in July 2023 when, the team stated in court
filings, "it became apparent that [Shelton] was not willing to perform the
job for which the Clippers had hired him. Instead, [Shelton] took it upon
himself to render advice to those who had not sought it and that he was not
qualified to give. For example, he recommended medical procedures, such as
blood-flow restriction, without having any medical training, knowing the
players' condition, or consulting with his supervisors or the team doctors.
His unauthorized conduct disrupted relationships between the players, their
trainers, and the team, and put the players' health and well-being at risk.

"And when the Clippers investigated [Shelton's] accusations of 'retaliation,
discrimination, segregation, and bullying,' [Shelton] admitted to 'creating
drama' by approaching players with his advice without knowing their medical
history. In short, [Shelton] refused to limit himself to the job for which hewas hired, creating problems for the team and its players and personnel."

球隊在2023年7月解雇Shelton，並在法庭文件中聲明"很明顯(Shelton)並不願意執行快艇聘用他來做的工作。相反地，(Shelton)擅自向沒有尋求他意見的人提供建議，而他並不具備給出這些建議的資格。例如，他在沒有接受任何醫學訓練、不了解球員狀況、也未與主管或球隊醫師商量的情況下，推薦醫療處置方法，如血流限制訓練。他的未經授權行為破壞了球員、訓練師與球隊之間的關係，並讓球員的健康與福祉處於風險之中。"

"而當快艇調查(Shelton)提出的'報復、歧視、隔離與霸凌'指控時，(Shelton)承認自己因為在不了解球員醫療病史的情況下，向球員提出建議，從而'製造了戲劇化的局面'。簡而言之，(Shelton)拒絕將自己侷限在他被聘請的職責範圍內，因而為球隊、球員與相關人員帶來了問題。"

When news of Shelton's lawsuit began to spread across the league, one team
source with direct knowledge of the situation said many of Shelton's claims
were untrue -- but not all.

Shelton's allegation that the team increasingly excluded him from meetings
and information about Leonard's health was true, the team source said, addingthat there was concern in Shelton's first season that he was taking
incomplete information about Leonard's health to unqualified medical
officials around the country -- "witch doctors and quasi clinicians," the
source says.

當Shelton的訴訟消息開始在聯盟內傳開時，一位直接知情的球隊消息人士表示，Shelton的許多指控並不屬實--但不是全部。

這位球隊消息人士說，Shelton指控球隊逐漸將他排除在會議與Leonard健康資訊之外，這一點是真的。他補充說，在Shelton的第一個賽季，曾有人擔心他把關於Leonard健康的不完整資訊帶去給全國各地不具資格的醫療人士--消息人士稱之為"巫醫與半吊子的臨床人員"。

By the midpoint of that first season, the team source says, the team could'vefired Shelton -- and yet decided instead to change the organizational
structure of the department to isolate Shelton and limit the flow of
information that he received.

The reason was simple: Creating a rift with Shelton could risk creating a
rift with Leonard.

In Shelton's suit, he also alleged that the Clippers "leapt well beyond the
bounds of the NBA constitution" with respect to potential tampering
violations in their pursuit of Leonard.

"He's not wrong about that," the team source says.

這位球隊消息人士說，到第一個賽季中時，球隊本可以解雇Shelton--但他們卻決定改變部門的組織架構，將Shelton隔離，並限制他所能獲取的資訊流。

原因很簡單:與Shelton裂痕的出現，可能會導致與Leonard的裂痕。

在Shelton的訴訟中，他還指控快艇在追求Leonard時，涉及潛在的違規招募行為，"遠遠超出了NBA憲章的界限"。

"在這點上，他並沒有說錯，"這位球隊消息人士說。

In his lawsuit, Shelton said the Clippers first contacted him in 2017 after
Leonard, who was then under contract with the Spurs, suffered a severe ankle
injury in Game 1 of the 2017 Western Conference finals against the Golden
State Warriors.

Shelton said a Clippers executive, assistant general manager Mark Hughes,
contacted him to seek "private health information" about Leonard and
expressed the need for "discretion."

在他的訴訟中，Shelton表示快艇首次聯繫他是在2017年，當時Leonard仍效力於馬刺，在2017年西區決賽對陣金州勇士的第一場比賽中遭遇嚴重的腳踝傷勢。

Shelton表示，快艇高層、助理總經理Mark Hughes聯繫了他，想要獲取關於Leonard的"私人健康資訊"，並強調這需要"謹慎處理"。

The two spoke approximately 15 times on the phone and had at least seven
meetings, according to the suit, as the Clippers sought to learn more about
Leonard's contractual obligations with the Spurs and his medical situation.

When asked if the team violated tampering rules in its pursuit of Leonard,
one former Clippers staffer who was closely involved said, simply, "Everybodytampers."

Another former Clippers employee said Shelton's lawsuit presents a new set ofproblems for the team, especially if depositions and internal communications
become public. Frank sat for a deposition in the lawsuit on Sept. 16.

"The team cannot possibly want the NBA opening up its cupboards again," the
former employee said. "I'm telling you -- that is bad."

根據訴訟內容，雙方大約通了15次電話，並至少見過7次面，因為快艇希望更多了解
Leonard與馬刺的合約義務以及他的醫療狀況。

當被問及球隊在追求Leonard的過程中是否違反了違規招募時，一位深度參與其中的前快艇員工直言:"大家都會違規招募。"

另一名前快艇員工表示，Shelton的訴訟給球隊帶來了一系列新的問題，特別是如果證詞與內部通信被公開的話。Frank已經在9月16日出席了該訴訟的證詞作證。

"球隊絕對不會希望NBA再次打開這個案件，"這名前員工說。"我告訴你--那會很糟糕。"

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ON DEC. 7, 2024, reporters gathered at the Clippers' new practice facility inInglewood and spotted Leonard working out on the other side of the court.
Team officials lingered nearby.

Leonard hadn't played all season because of inflammation in his right knee
that had plagued him the season before. The question of when the star forwardwould return to action hovered over the team.

Some reporters immediately raised their cellphone cameras and started filming.

2024年12月7日，記者們聚集在快艇位於Inglewood的新訓練設施，發現Leonard正在球場另一側進行訓練。球隊官員則在一旁徘徊觀察。

由於右膝發炎(這也是前一個賽季困擾他的傷勢)，Leonard整個賽季都尚未出賽。這位明星前鋒究竟何時能夠復出的問題，始終懸在球隊頭上。

一些記者立刻舉起手機相機開始拍攝。

As they did, Leonard dribbled the ball and began to go into a shooting
motion, raising the ball in front of him and then over his head. Then Leonardspotted the media gaggle and hesitated.

Robertson stood next to him, arms crossed in a white hat, white hoodie and
white shorts. Lue approached him to check in. Lue then looked over toward themedia on the far side of the court and he pointed to them.

"Yo!" Robertson yelled from across the court.

He raised his arms and moved them across his body, akin to a director calling"cut."

Team officials then told the media to stop filming.

就在他們拍攝的時候，Leonard運球，並開始做出投籃動作，把球舉到自己面前再舉過頭頂。然後Leonard注意到一群媒體記者，便猶豫了下來。

Robertson站在他身邊，戴著白帽子、穿著白色連帽衫和白色短褲，雙手交叉抱胸。Lue走近他，與他確認情況。隨後，Lue看向場地另一側的媒體，並指向他們。

"Yo!"Robertson 從場地另一側大喊。

他舉起雙手，在身體前方揮動，動作就像導演喊"卡!"一樣。

接著，球隊官員告知媒體停止拍攝。

"He wants to control the environment," one former staffer says. "He doesn't
mind being filmed. What he minds is moments that he thinks are supposed to beprivate. If the Clippers say, 'Yes, we will make it private,' he expects themto live up to it."

Soon after Leonard arrived, reporters found that even when they privately
asked the Clippers about Leonard's health, seeking to confirm details they'd
uncovered, they would often be directed to ask Leonard's camp, which meant
contacting Robertson.

"他想要掌控整個環境，"一名前員工說。"他並不介意被拍攝。他在意的是那些他認為應該屬於私人場合的時刻。如果快艇說，'是的，我們會讓它保持私密，'那他就期待他們能信守承諾。"

在Leonard抵達快艇後不久，記者們發現，即便他們私下向快艇詢問Leonard的健康狀況，想要確認自己掌握的細節，他們也經常被轉介去問Leonard的團隊，而這意味著要聯繫
Robertson。

Robertson has long served as Leonard's spokesperson. His role in Leonard's
life became more pronounced after Leonard's father, Mark, was killed on Jan.
18, 2008, in Compton, California. Mark was 43, Leonard 16.

Leonard would later tell the San Antonio Express-News, "With my dad passing
away, there aren't too many men in the family and [Robertson] is a great guy
to just talk to that has been through my experiences at my age."

Robertson played college basketball at the University of Idaho, then spent
nearly three decades as a banking executive. He worked with American Express,Carver Federal Savings Bank and JP Morgan Chase.

When the Raptors won the 2019 championship against the Golden State Warriors
in Oakland, a celebratory team photo was taken on the court of players and
staff.

Robertson stood in a back row. He was, one Raptors source said, the only
family member in the photo.

Robertson長期擔任Leonard的發言人。在Leonard的父親Mark於2008年1月18日在加州康普頓遇害後，他在Leonard生活中的角色變的更加凸顯。當時Mark 43歲，Leonard 16歲。

Leonard之後告訴San Antonio Express-News:"隨著我父親的離世，家裡沒有太多男性，而(Robertson)是個很棒的人，可以和我聊聊，因為他在我這個年紀時也經歷過我的遭遇。"

Robertson曾在愛達荷大學打籃球，之後擔任銀行高管將近三十年。他曾在American
Express、Carver Federal Savings Bank和JP Morgan Chase工作。

當暴龍在2019年於奧克蘭擊敗金州勇士奪冠時，球員與工作人員在場上拍攝了一張慶祝合影。

Robertson站在後排。據一位暴龍消息人士透露，他是照片中唯一的家屬。

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AT 8:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 3, 2025, the league released an injury report, which
it does continually throughout the day.

That night, the Clippers had listed Leonard as out (Injury/Illness -- Right
Knee; Injury Recovery) for the team's game the next day against the Atlanta
Hawks. On the league's next injury report that night, at 9:30 p.m. ET,
Leonard's status remained the same.

Then, less than three hours later, at 11:27 p.m. ET, NBA reporter Chris
Haynes tweeted, citing information he'd just received, that Leonard was
expected to make his debut against the Hawks. Three minutes later, the
Clippers' PR account posted an update on X: Leonard had been upgraded to
questionable.

在2025年1月3日東部時間晚上8點30分，聯盟發布了一份傷病報告，這是他們每天的例行公事。

當晚，快艇在隔天對上亞特蘭大老鷹的比賽中，將 Leonard列為缺席(傷病/疾病--右膝;傷病恢復)。在當天晚上聯盟於東部時間9點30分更新的下一份傷病報告中，Leonard的狀態依然相同。

然而，不到三小時後，於東部時間晚上11點27分，NBA記者Chris Haynes發推特，稱根據他剛剛收到的消息，Leonard預計將在對陣老鷹的比賽中迎來本季首秀。三分鐘後，快艇的公關帳號也在推特上發布更新:Leonard的狀態已被提升為Questionable。

The next night, Lue sat on a dais in the depths of the Intuit Dome, facing a
larger than usual crowd of media that had assembled to watch Leonard make hisseason debut.

One of the first questions centered on the events of the previous evening --
Leonard being listed out, then suddenly available.

"Nothing changed," Lue said. "He was in [the whole time], but I didn't want
to hear from all these [media] guys, so I tried to protect myself as long as
I could."

Lue announced that Leonard would be on a minutes restriction, but when asked
what that restriction would be, Lue smiled and rubbed his chin with one hand.

"I can't remember," he smirked, then laughed.

隔天晚上，Lue坐在Intuit Dome深處的講台上，面對著一群比平常更多的媒體，他們聚集在此就是為了見證Leonard的賽季首秀。

其中一個最早的問題圍繞在前一晚的狀況--Leonard先是被列為缺席，隨後又突然可以出賽。

"什麼都沒變，"Lue說道。"他一直都能打，但我不想聽這些(媒體)人說個沒完，所以我盡可能保護自己。"

Lue宣布Leonard將受到上場時間限制，但當被問到限制是多少時，Lue微笑著，用一隻手揉了揉下巴。

"我想不起來了，"他帶著得意的笑說，隨後大笑起來。

That response had become a customary go-to for Lue not long after he replacedRivers. And it continued to serve the purpose: protecting any information
about the star forward, while avoiding the pitfall that led to the prior
$50,000 fine under Rivers.

As his minutes increased, Leonard returned to form. From the All-Star break
until the end of the regular season, he averaged 25.0 points, 6.8 rebounds
and 3.5 assists on 52-44-81 shooting splits. His team won 50 games -- its
second most since 2016-17 -- for the second consecutive year. In Game 2
against the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, he scored 39
points on a blistering 15-of-19 shooting. And yet the Clippers fell to the
Nuggets in seven games. It marked the third straight year the team failed to
advance beyond the first round.

The furthest the Clippers have advanced is the Western Conference finals was
in 2021 -- a series that Leonard missed because of injury.

在接替Rivers不久後，Lue的這種回答已經成為慣例的應對方式。而這也持續發揮了作用:既保護了關於這位明星前鋒的任何資訊，同時也避免了像Rivers時期那樣掉入50K罰款的泥沼。

隨著出場時間增加，Leonard的狀態回升。從明星賽後到例行賽結束，他場均得到25.0分、6.8個籃板和3.5次助攻，投籃命中率/三分命中率/罰球命中率分別為52-44-81。球隊拿下50勝--這是自2016-17賽季以來的第二高勝場--並且是連續第二年達成。在季後賽首輪對上丹佛金塊的第二場比賽中，他以驚人的19投15中攻下 39 分。然而，快艇最終在七場大戰後敗給金塊。這標誌著球隊連續第三年無法突破首輪。

快艇在季後賽的最遠進展是2021年的西區決賽--而那一輪系列賽Leonard因傷缺席。

Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander, who turned 27 on July 12, led the NBA in
scoring last season and won MVP while leading Oklahoma City to its first
championship, then signed a four-year, $285 million super maximum contract
extension through the 2030-31 season. He will also be featured on the cover
of the NBA 2K26 video game.

Today, the Clippers are in a precarious place again. On Sept. 3, the Clippersfound themselves in yet another scandal involving Leonard. Podcaster and
journalist Pablo Torre reported about Leonard's sponsorship deal at
Aspiration.

與此同時，Gilgeous-Alexander在7月12日滿27歲。他在上個賽季成為NBA得分王並奪得MVP，帶領奧克拉荷馬奪得隊史首座總冠軍，隨後簽下了一份為期四年、價值285M的超級頂薪延長合約，合約簽到2030-31 賽季。他還將登上NBA 2K26遊戲封面。

如今，快艇再次處於岌岌可危的境地。9月3日，快艇捲入了另一樁與Leonard有關的醜聞。Podcast主持人兼記者(這句話對Torre來說很重要XD)Pablo Torre報導了Leonard在
Aspiration的贊助合約。

Hours later, the NBA announced it was launching an investigation. The next
day, in an interview with ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Ballmer denied that he hadany knowledge of Leonard's endorsement contract or that he directed the
company to offer it.

"The allegations have not been true," Ballmer told Shelburne. "But what's
most important to me is we've done the right thing in all those interactions.Kawhi's business is Kawhi's business. But we've always done the right thing."

The New York-based law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz will lead the
NBA's investigation into the Clippers and the sponsorship deal with
Aspiration. The firm also investigated following a 2020 suit against the teamby a man named Johnny Wilkes, who alleged Jerry West, a team consultant at
the time, owed him $2.5 million in an oral agreement made for helping the
Clippers sign Leonard. That lawsuit was ultimately dismissed, and the
Clippers were cleared of any wrongdoing.

數小時後，NBA宣布展開調查。隔天，Ballmer在接受ESPN記者Ramona Shelburne的訪問時否認自己知曉Leonard的代言合約，或是指示該公司提供合約。

"這些指控並不屬實，"Ballmer 告訴 Shelburne。"但對我而言最重要的是，在所有這些互動中，我們都做了正確的事。Kawhi的事業就是Kawhi的事業。但我們始終做的是正確的事。"

總部位於紐約的律師事務所Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz將主導NBA對快艇與
Aspiration贊助合約的調查。該律所也曾在2020年調查過一起針對球隊的訴訟，當時一名叫Johnny Wilkes的男子指控，球隊顧問Jerry West曾口頭承諾支付他2.5M，以幫助快艇簽下Leonard。最終該訴訟被駁回，快艇被認定並無不當行為。

Then, on Sept. 11, just days into the NBA's investigation, Torre reported
that Clippers minority owner Dennis Wong, Ballmer's former college roommate
at Harvard, invested $1.99 million in Aspiration in December of 2022, just
nine days before the company made a $1.75 million payment to Leonard. The
payment to Leonard was late, according to the payment schedule, as the
company was reportedly having financial troubles before ultimately declaring
bankruptcy.

接著，在9月11日，就在NBA啟動調查的幾天後，Torre報導稱，快艇小股東Dennis Wong--Ballmer在哈佛時的前室友--於2022年12月向Aspiration投資了1.99M，而就在9天後，該公司向Leonard支付了1.75M。根據付款計畫，這筆付給Leonard的款項已經延遲，據報導該公司當時正面臨財務困難，最終宣告破產。

For now, Leonard remains under contract for two more seasons. The Clippers
don't control their first-round pick in the next four years. Their
unprotected first-round pick in 2026 will go to the Thunder, who have the
right to swap first-round picks with the Clippers in 2027. That will help theThunder sustain a potential dynastic run built around the player the Clippersgave up in the hopes of building their own dynasty.

In the meantime, every new accolade for Oklahoma City -- and any further
championships -- will add another layer to the 2019 deal that has haunted theClippers more and more in the years since.

Multiple GMs and other league executives said they expect Leonard to play outhis contract with the Clippers, which is set to end after the 2026-27 season.

But even then, one former staffer said, the organization's focus has shifted."They're done building around [Kawhi]," he said.

"They know that and he knows that."

就目前而言，Leonard的合約還剩下兩個賽季。快艇在未來四年裡都不掌控自己的首輪選秀權。他們2026年未受保護的首輪籤將歸於雷霆，而雷霆在2027年也擁有與快艇交換首輪選秀權的權利。這將幫助雷霆圍繞快艇當年放棄的那名球員，持續打造潛在的王朝，而快艇則是抱著建立自己王朝的希望才做出這筆交易。

與此同時，奧克拉荷馬每獲得一項新榮耀--或任何額外的冠軍--都會讓這筆2019年的交易在往後的歲月裡愈發成為快艇揮之不去的陰影。

多位總經理與其他聯盟高層表示，他們預期Leonard會履行完與快艇的合約，該合約將在2026-27賽季後到期。

但即便如此，一名前員工說，球隊的重心已經轉移。"他們已經不再圍繞(Kawhi)建隊了。"

"他們知道這一點，而他自己也知道。"

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一句話總結的話

別讓舅舅與舅寶不開心

--