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Ex-Clippers Trainer Suing Team, Cites Illegal Kawhi Leonard Treatment

The LA Clippers are reportedly being sued by a former trainer.

Joey Linn

The LA Clippers logo at Intuit Dome.
The LA Clippers logo at Intuit Dome. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The LA Clippers hosted their first NBA regular season game at the brand new Intuit Dome on Wednesday night. It was an exciting overtime contest, but the Clippers fell to the Phoenix Suns 116-113.

Despite the loss, it was a celebratory day for the Clippers franchise. Spending 25 seasons at Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena), the Clippers no longer share a building with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Following this exciting season opener, it was reported by NBA insider Chris Haynes that the Clippers are being sued by their former trainer.

Via Haynes: “Former Los Angeles Clippers trainer Randy Shelton is suing the franchise for wrongful termination, among other things, after he claims he was fired after complaining that Kawhi Leonard was being subjected to unsafe and illegal treatment for injuries.”

Haynes added a statement from the Clippers that disputes the claims from Shelton.

“Mr. Shelton’s claims were investigated and found to be without merit,” the Clippers told Haynes. “We honored Mr. Shelton’s employment contract and paid him in full. This lawsuit is a belated attempt to shake down the Clippers based on accusations that Mr. Shelton should know are false.”

Haynes also received a statement from John David, an attorney representing Shelton.

“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,” David said.

Haynes added a full thread of the lawsuit filed by Shelton against the Clippers.

Via Haynes: "Lawsuit filed today against Clippers by Kawhi Leonard’s personal trainer that includes allegations of tampering years prior to signing the star."

This will be a situation to follow, but for now there is a statement from the Clippers, as well as Shelton’s attorney.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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