Randy Shelton, a former trainer for the Los Angeles Clippers, has filed a lawsuit against the team and its president of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank, claiming he was wrongfully terminated for raising safety concerns regarding Kawhi Leonard’s treatment and alleging violations of NBA protocols.
The court documents, obtained by NBA insider Chris Haynes, detail accusations that the Clippers’ management ignored Shelton’s repeated concerns, ultimately firing him in retaliation.
Shelton’s suit contends that Leonard, who joined the Clippers in 2019, was subjected to treatment methods that he believes were not only unsafe but in breach of NBA-mandated health protocols.
He alleges that the organization, driven by its long-term pursuit to attract Leonard, prioritized Leonard’s on-court availability over his long-term health and recovery.
Shelton’s attorney issued a statement emphasizing the importance of players’ well-being, noting, “Our client’s lawsuit serves as a wakeup call to the Clippers organization that players are human beings, not just dollar signs, and deserve proper—and not rushed—care.”
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Shelton joined the Clippers in July 2019 following his time at San Diego State University, where he worked with Leonard as the strength and conditioning coach for the men’s basketball team.
According to the suit, the Clippers began approaching Shelton about Leonard as early as 2017, when assistant general manager Mark Hughes allegedly sought confidential health information on Leonard during his tenure with the San Antonio Spurs. The Clippers reportedly pursued Shelton again during the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 playoff run, when Leonard led the Raptors to an NBA title.
Leonard signed a three-year, $103 million contract with the Clippers after the Raptors’ championship, marking the culmination of the Clippers’ multi-year recruitment effort.
Shelton alleges that the organization, in its eagerness to maximize Leonard’s court time, rushed his recovery from a 2021 ACL tear and disregarded proper medical protocols following a blow to Leonard’s face during a March 25, 2023 game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The suit states Leonard displayed concussion symptoms but was allowed to continue playing without a full evaluation, contrary to NBA guidelines for handling suspected concussions. Shortly after, Leonard suffered a meniscus tear in the 2023 playoffs against the Phoenix Suns.
After this sequence of injuries, Shelton reportedly submitted a formal complaint to Lawrence Frank, criticizing the handling of Leonard’s health, writing that “the mishandling of Kawhi Leonard’s injury and return-to-play protocol has been mind-blowing” and describing the disregard for recovery as “unacceptable.”
Less than three months later, Shelton was dismissed without cause, leading to the current lawsuit seeking “significant” but unspecified damages.
The Clippers dispute Shelton’s claims. In a statement to Haynes, they asserted that Shelton’s allegations were “investigated and found to be without merit,” adding that his contract was honored in full. They described the lawsuit as a “belated attempt to shake down the Clippers.”
A league spokesperson informed ESPN that the NBA was not aware of the lawsuit, highlighting the potential scrutiny this high-profile case could bring to the league’s player safety standards and tampering rules.
Shelton’s case may reveal new details about how NBA teams handle players’ health protocols, especially when facing the pressure of high-stakes contracts and the intense competition to attract marquee talent like Leonard.
