The NBA is investigating the Los Angeles Clippers and Jerry West in the team's pursuit of Kawhi Leonard last summer after a man named Johnny Wilkes claimed he was promised $2.5 million to help lure “The Claw” to L.A.
Wilkes told TMZ he received a voicemail from West in July of 2019 in which the Hall of Famer claims Leonard would not be a good fit for the crosstown rival Lakers, and then some. The alleged voicemail popped up on Twitter Friday morning.
The Jerry West "voicemail"
Sounds like him, yes? pic.twitter.com/cst7cyok4M
— John Ledesma (@JohnnyNBA) December 18, 2020
TMZ also transcribed the voicemail, including the comments about the Clippers:
“Hey there, this is Jerry calling. I really want to thank you a lot for trying to help. I heard this morning that everyone over in the Lakers camp thinks they're gonna get him.”
“I just find it hard to believe that he would want to go to that sh*t show where he would not even be … wouldn't even get his name in the paper and he wouldn't be the face of the franchise that's for sure.”
The voicemail concludes with the man Wilkes alleges is West requesting to get dinner with Wilkes.
Los Angeles released a statement Thursday, saying Wilkes' lawsuit is “replete with inaccuracies” and calling it “baseless.” The Clippers are fully cooperating with league investigators.
Leonard also decried Wilkes' lawsuit, saying Wilkes had “nothing” to do with his decision to sign with the Clippers and saying “Nobody swayed my mind.”
Jerry West has also denied any wrongdoing, though the voicemail seemingly lends a bit of skepticism as to what really went on behind the scenes.
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