The NBA offseason has officially kicked into overdrive.
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.
Trade discussions among teams are typically common around this time of the year, especially since free agency negotiations begin Tuesday evening.
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.
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.
A trade for Leonard, however, would seem to expedite that process.