The NBA offseason has officially kicked into overdrive.<\/p>\n
Could Kawhi Leonard be next?<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Trade discussions among teams are typically common around this time of the year, especially since free agency negotiations begin Tuesday evening.<\/p>\n
Ujiri\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Seven years later, Ujiri could find himself in a similar situation.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s still an All-NBA caliber talent when healthy.<\/p>\n
The Mavericks would need to make the math work by trading Washington\u2019s $19.8 million contract and Thompson\u2019s 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).<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n