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Should I

There are the occasions, you must decide between writing about a story or not. This is one of those times you’ve read plenty regarding Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers the last 3-4 weeks. This is an additional story that broke recently and I had to determine if it was worth covering. In this instance it’s the New York Times reporting the story, they claim, “A federal investigation has been opened into the Los Angeles Clippers for allegedly circumventing the salary cap to compensate Kawhi Leonard.”

Please note the word highlighted and underlined because as this is written there is nothing yet to be proven. The main reason I decided to mention it due to the possible repercussions if the named parties are found guilty. If this probe is true (and I believe it is) the entire process will likely be pending for a time. Consider the NBA’s investigation, it took the law firm roughly 11 plus months to issue a report on the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard and others. Whatever occurs in the future I will attempt to update you just as soon as practical.

The truth

In this instance “truth” has nothing to do with the nickname of former Celtic Paul “The Truth” Pierce. It’s the conclusion by an athlete they must face the truth, they are unable to play at a skill level that allows them to play professionally. Recently many of us might have read Lonzo Ball’s claim that his younger brother LiAngelo had NBA skill, he said; “His (LiAngelo) game is league-worthy.” Some might remember the middle brother had several tryouts particularly with the Hornets but was unable to secure a roster spot, he even played in the G-League for two seasons. Being real or coming to a conclusion “Maybe I’m not good enough to play at this level,” there is no shame in admitting that however some might have difficulty admitting that as the truth.

Several years ago the son of a friend made an effort to sign as a free agent with the NFL Chiefs. Although he’d been a starter and played major minutes for Iowa State he failed, I believe this occurred twice. His final attempt at a pro contract was a tryout with a Canadian League Football team, he was cut once again. He might have concluded “I’m not good enough” which is certainly no reflection on him as a human being. Another example occurred when the Kings called Kansas City home and held an open tryout for free-agent talent. Carl had played for a highly competitive high school team and a small local college, but he did not earn the roster spot he hoped for. Years later, he told us, “I would hate to grow old and say to myself I never tried.” LiAngelo and the other individuals mentioned should feel no shame; they simply were not talented enough to play in the NFL or NBA, where opportunities are extremely limited—the NBA has only about 500 jobs. The key question, I believe, is: What do you pursue next?  

Meanwhile….

In my view, a sports agent has one primary responsibility: securing the best possible contract for their client. That job can require tremendous effort, but it should not include doing business in a way that later creates problems for the player. That appears to be the case with “Uncle Dennis,” Dennis Robertson, the former agent and uncle of Kawhi Leonard. I use “former” because Kawhi reportedly fired him, likely connected to the defunct Aspiration Company and the fallout involving the Clippers. Stories about Robertson have circulated since he negotiated with the Lakers over a potential Kawhi Leonard contract, but I’m not going to revisit those accounts. Instead, I’ll focus on the present: Uncle Dennis has been barred for the next five years from conducting business with any NBA player or anyone associated with the league, he seemed to operate by his own set of rules.

Once upon a time there was Ruben Patterson, he was the self-appointed Kobe Stopper. He claimed his defense would curtail Kobe’s game, guess what it was more talk than anything. This is 2026 and we have the Wemby stopper, his name El Hadji Tacko Serigne Diop Fall. Most of us recognize him as the 7-foot 6 inch Tacko Fall, you might remember he played his college basketball at the University of Central Florida. He went undrafted in the 2019 draft but later signed as a free agent with the Celtics. Tacko has also played for the Cavs but the last several years have seen him play in the Chinese Basketball Association. He’s returned to the U.S. and the Sixers have signed him for training camp, in this this upcoming season a battle between 7-foot 6 Tacko and the 7-foot 5 Wemby.