Kawhi Leonard‘s future in Los Angeles continues to be one of the most popular subjects of speculation entering free agency. While the Clippers are said to be fielding calls rather than actively shopping the star wing, several teams, including the Raptors, have reportedly been in discussions about possible trades.
The Mavericks are another team to add to that of group of Leonard suitors, according to Christian Clark, Dan Woike, and Sam Amick of The Athletic, who say the Mavs and Clippers have discussed a deal that could send the two-time champion to Dallas.
The package proposed by Dallas would include P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson, and draft picks going to L.A. to facilitate a reunion between Leonard and Mavs president Masai Ujiri, who traded for Leonard during his time with the Raptors, a decision that led to the franchise’s first and only championship.
The Mavs don’t have a ton of draft capital at the moment, which limits what they could offer Los Angeles. Ujiri has also spoken about his desire to build a sustainable, future-facing roster around franchise cornerstone Cooper Flagg. However, the allure of adding Leonard to a roster that features Flagg and star point guard Kyrie Irving could be hard to resist if the two teams can agree on a price point.
Leonard will turn 35 on Monday, but he’s coming off his best scoring season as a pro. He averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game in 2025/26, with an excellent shooting line of .505/.387/.892. More importantly, he played 65 games this season, only the second time he’s hit that number since the 2016/17 season.
A Leonard/Irving duo would have undeniable injury concerns, but if the team were able to acquire the star forward without giving up too many long-term assets, the risk could be worth the sizable potential reward.
