LOS ANGELES — Former Spur Bruce Bowen will not return to his role as a TV analyst for the Los Angeles Clippers after criticizing Kawhi Leonard, according to a report.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski first broke the news, stating that the Clippers and Bowen were expected to reach an agreement on a new contract. That changed, however, after Bowen's June 22 appearance on a SiriusXM talk show.
Bowen's critical comments towards Kawhi include saying that he and his team had "nothing but excuses" for the Spurs as the All-NBA forward worked to return to the team while dealing with a lingering quad injury.
Bowen also told SiriusXM that Leonard was "getting bad advice" about his future, noting that Leonard was "protected in San Antonio...able to come up at a time where [Leonard] still could lean on Tim, Tony, and Manu."
Wojnarowski states that sources indicate that Leonard wants to sign with the Lakers or the Clippers when he becomes a free agent this offseason. "Eliminating Bowen," Wojnarowski writes, "becomes a clear message about how it plans to protect star players within the organization."
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Bowen, a three-time NBA champion whose jersey hangs from the AT&T Center's rafters, joined the Clippers broadcast team prior to the 2017-18 season.
The Spurs traded Leonard to the Toronto Raptors this offseason for a package of players, including DeMar DeRozan.
