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Dallas Mavericks forward Daniel Gafford (21) contests a shot attempt from LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game at American Airlines Center on Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Dallas. (Elías Valverde II/Staff Photographer)
The NBA offseason has officially kicked into overdrive.
Several stars were reportedly traded over the last week, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMelo Ball and Plano native Julius Randle.
Could Kawhi Leonard be next?
The availability of the LA Clippers superstar has been a popular topic of discussion this weekend, with Toronto and Dallas listed among several teams as potential landing spots if a trade for Leonard materialized.
The Athletic reported Sunday evening that Mavericks team president Masai Ujiri has interest in reuniting with Leonard, nearly seven years after they led the Raptors to a championship in 2019. The Mavericks and Clippers have reportedly discussed a trade that would send Leonard to Dallas for a package that would include P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson and draft picks.
Trade discussions among teams are typically common around this time of the year, especially since free agency negotiations begin Tuesday evening.
Since his arrival as president of basketball operations in early May, Ujiri has vowed to turn the Mavericks back into a winning franchise and his decisions to hire Mike Schmitz as general manager and Dusty May as head coach reflect that desire.
Ujiri’s relationship with Leonard stems back to 2018, when the former Raptors president acquired him in a trade in exchange for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poetl and a first-round draft pick. The deal was a gigantic risk for the Raptors because Leonard was on an expiring contract, deeming the trade a one-year rental because of his decision to leave in free agency once his contract expired the following summer.
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OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 13: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors celebrates his teams win over the Golden State Warriors in Game Six to win the 2019 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 13, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
That was the case, as Leonard bolted for the LA Clippers in 2019, but not without playing a pivotal role in leading the Raptors to Toronto's lone title in franchise history. The risk was indeed worth the reward.
Seven years later, Ujiri could find himself in a similar situation.
Leonard is entering the final year of a three-year, nearly $150 million extension and is owed $50.3 million for the 2026-27 season. His injury history as a 35-year-old is an obvious concern, with 331 regular season games played for the Clippers out of a possible 574 in seven seasons. However, he proved last season that he’s still an All-NBA caliber talent when healthy.
The Mavericks would need to make the math work by trading Washington’s $19.8 million contract and Thompson’s expiring deal worth $17.4 million, along with another player to make the trade successful. That third player could include any of the following: Daniel Gafford ($17.2 million), Caleb Martin ($10 million), Naji Marshall ($9.4 million) or AJ Johnson ($3.2 million).
As for draft compensation, the Mavericks are limited with first-round draft capital thanks to trades orchestrated by the previous regime to build around Luka Doncic. The Mavericks own the Lakers' 2029 first-round pick, along with three first-rounders from 2031 until 2034.
Trading for Leonard would instantly place championship expectations upon the Mavericks because it would pair the seven-time All-Star with nine-time All-Star Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year. It’s also worth noting that Flagg and Leonard share a sponsorship with New Balance.
During a press conference last month, Ujiri said every decision the Mavericks make would be “future-based,” signaling a long-term building approach around Flagg.
A trade for Leonard, however, would seem to expedite that process.
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