Clippers sack Bruce Bowen after Kawhi Leonard comments

The Los Angeles Clippers have given commentator Bruce Bowen his walking papers after controversial comments about Kawhi Leonard.

Bruce Bowen had some not-so-kind words for Kawhi Leonard after his bizarre insistence on being traded from the San Antonio Spurs.

Those comments have now cost Bowen his job as a commentator for the Los Angeles Clippers.

According to ESPN and NBA God Adrian Wojnarowski, the Clippers decided not to renew his contract as an analyst for next season for Fox Sports West. His contract was actually up, but Bowen and Fox Sports West were said to be moving rapidly on a new deal before he voiced his mind about the Leonard saga.

You see, while he does work for the Clippers, he is a Spurs member for life, and he didn’t particularly care for the way Leonard handled his exit from the Alamo City. When the Leonard drama hit the fan, Bowen went on Sirus XM Radio in June and said this:

"I think there’s nothing but excuses going on. First, it was, ‘Well I was misdiagnosed.’ Look here: You got $18 million this year, and you think that they’re trying to rush you? You didn’t play for the most part of a full season this year. And you’re the go-to guy, you’re the franchise, and you want to say that they didn’t have your best interest at heart? Are you kidding me?"

Oh, Bowen wasn’t done ripping Leonard a new one, adding:

"I think he’s getting bad advice. I think what you’re starting to see now is an individual given a certain amount of advice, and it’s not the right advice."

Those comments were, apparently, too much for Fox Sports West, who decided not to move forward with his new contract.

Was Bowen wrong? Not exactly. But you have to have the smarts to keep your opinions to yourself when you’re negotiating a new contract.