Why former NBA star Danilo Gallinari blames Kawhi Leonard for ruining his career

European sharpshooter was traded by Clippers to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of Paul George deal after Kawhi arrived in L.A.

Published Sep 14, 2026  •  Last updated 3 hours ago  •  2 minute read

Danilo Gallinari of the Denver Nuggets handles the ball against Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs during a game in 2013. NBAE via Getty Images

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Former NBA sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari has taken a shot at Kawhi Leonard, claiming that the All-Star’s arrival in Los Angeles in 2019 adversely affected his career.

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During an episode of the A Cresta Alta podcast alongside his brother Federico, a player development coach, Gallinari also said Leonard should pay substantially more than the $700,000 US fine that he was hit with as punishment for his role in the Clippers-Aspiration scandal.

“He should pay all $50 million, not just $700,000,” Gallinari said. “He changed the trajectory of my career and put me in a difficult situation by sending me away from Los Angeles.”

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Gallinari’s gripe may seem like sour grapes over being traded to the then-rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder, but he more so seemed to take exception to how Leonard used his power to force the move.

“What happened to my NBA career wasn’t decided by a general manager or an owner, but by a player who decided that team wasn’t good enough and wanted something else,” Gallinari added.

Did Gallinari decline after leaving L.A.?

After Leonard left the Toronto Raptors in the summer of 2019 after leading the team to its lone NBA championship, he signed with the Clippers in a deal contingent on the team trading for Paul George, who had played the previous season with the Thunder.

Gallinari, along with future two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, five first-round picks and two swaps, were sent to OKC for the All-Star forward.

Gallinari had been coming off a career season in L.A., where he scored 19.8 points per game while averaging 6.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

During his first and only season in Oklahoma City, his numbers dropped slightly before he left to sign a three-year, $61.4-million contract with Atlanta at age 32.

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His numbers dropped significantly with the Hawks, and he missed the entire 2022-23 season after suffering a torn ACL.

He played 49 total games for three different teams in 2023-24 before leaving the NBA for good to play overseas.

What’s the latest on Kawhi?

Leonard, on the other hand, spent seven years in Los Angeles and became embroiled in a salary-cap circumvention scandal in which he was alleged to have been paid $28 million by the now-defunct environmental firm that also was a team sponsor.

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   Raptors, Kawhi can finally move forward after Clippers accept penalties

Earlier this month, the NBA came down hard on the Clippers, fining the team $30 million and docking it five first-round draft picks. Team owner Steve Ballmer, as well as several other execs, also were suspended for one year.

The lengthy investigation had put a trade between the Clippers and Raptors that would send Leonard back to Toronto on hold, though the teams reportedly agreed to continue with the swap on Monday, with a trade call being the final step.

The Raps will send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, one first-round pick swap and two second-rounders to L.A. in the trade.

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