Ex-Clippers staffer sues team, says he was fired for questioning handling of Kawhi’s health

The Clippers organization is currently fighting a lawsuit from one of their former staffers called Randy Shelton, who was hired back in 2019 as a strength and conditioning coach that could keep Kawhi Leonard in check. The ex-employee guarantees that he was fired after questioning how the team was handling the star’s health. 

The Los Angeles front office resolved by issuing a statement denying the allegations. “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 club responded. “This lawsuit is a belated attempt to shake down the Clippers based on accusations that Mr. Shelton should know are false.”

As drama ensued and surfaced on social media, an NBA spokesperson referred to the matter and told ESPN, “We are reviewing the court filings in this matter.”

Breaking: A former LA Clippers strength and conditioning coach has sued the team, alleging wrongful termination in part for raising concerns about the management of Kawhi Leonard's health and injuries, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by ESPN. https://t.co/UVoGEipRkZ

— ESPN (@espn) October 24, 2024

As told by Shelton, he wrote a complaint to team president Lawrence Frank about the way they were managing Kawhi’s condition, right after the player tore his right meniscus in a playoff series against the Phoenix Suns. The next day, the executive responded by stating, “We take your concerns very seriously and will promptly move forward with an investigation.”

The accuser explained that in his complaint, he explained  how the “mishandling of Kawhi Leonard’s injury and return-to-play protocol has been mind-blowing” and that “the disregard for his recovery process is unacceptable.”

According to the former staffer, he assured his allegations were found to be unsubstantiated and that Frank fired him without cause in July 2023, without compensation or reimbursements.

“We hope that our client’s lawsuit will serve as a wakeup call to the Clippers organization that their players are not just dollar values but are humans requiring proper — and not hastened — health and recovery treatment for the careers and lives afterwards,” said John David, who served as one of Shelton’s attorneys.

After being chased by many NBA teams in 2019, Kawhi Revealed that he picked the Clippers to ‘help try and build a legacy’ in Los Angeles

It is no secret that the Clippers franchise has been in the shadow of their city rivals for most of their history. However, over the past decade, the club has been determined to come out of their underdog shell, invest in All-Star calibre players, and even compete for the NBA title. This is why Kawhi Leonard first signed for the team in 2019.

Even though they are yet to win a championship, Kawhi and his teammates took the L.A. squad all the way to the Western Conference Finals just four years ago.In a recent GQ article, written by Sam Schube, the journalist revealed that the 33-year-old explained to him why he had made the surprising decision to play for the Clippers after his success in Toronto.

According to this interview, the superstar wanted to build a legacy for a team that lacked one.“During his free agency, in 2019, Leonard was rumored to be a Lakers target before ultimately opting for the other Staples Center locker room. ‘I just wanted to go to a franchise where I could try to help build a legacy,’ he told me this spring,” Schube wrote, as it was well known that many teams wanted his talents.

Sources revealed that the Lakers were one of the teams looking to trade for him 5 years ago. “I was very close. Real close. But when [the Clippers] presented the opportunity of playing with [Paul George], it was easy, it was a yes. I said let’s get it going,” Leonard shared back in the day.