Ex-Clippers staffer sues, says he was fired over Kawhi concerns - ESPN

A former LA Clippers strength and conditioning coach who says he was hired in 2019 as part of a yearslong campaign to recruit Kawhi Leonard has sued the team and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, alleging wrongful termination in part for raising concerns about the management of Leonard's health and injuries.

The lawsuit, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, was filed Thursday in Los Angeles County by attorneys representing Randy Shelton, who joined the Clippers on July 1, 2019, as a strength and conditioning coach after serving in a similar role at San Diego State, where he worked with Leonard before he joined the San Antonio Spurs in the 2011 NBA draft.

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 issued 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 team said. «This lawsuit is a belated attempt to shake down the Clippers based on accusations that Mr. Shelton should know are false.»

Through a spokesperson, the NBA said it was unaware of the lawsuit.

In the 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.

That injury ended Leonard's postseason, and he missed the first 27 games of the next season with a right quadriceps injury. Leonard's injury and subsequent rehab