NBA Rumors: Mavericks and Heat Plan to Make Hard Push for Kawhi Leonard

Heading into last season, the 2021 NBA offseason had the chance to be league-altering. After players like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Paul George inked extensions throughout the year, what was once a star-studded class has now become average. While most of the big names took themselves off the market, one player can still add some drama to free agency.

Kawhi Leonard has a player option for next season, that if he declines, will make him an unrestricted free agent. The two-time finals MVP is coming off a season with the Clippers where he posted averages of 24.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 5.2 APG.

It is still unclear what Leonard intends to do, but teams are already preparing to make a run at him. Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer reported that the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks plan to make a "hard push" to acquire Leonard.

Seeing how the team performed without him in the postseason might have convinced Leonard to continue his time with the Clippers. George looked like the Indiana version of himself as he almost got LA to the NBA finals for the first time in franchise history. Not to mention head coach Ty Lue put on a coaching masterclass with his ability to adjust on the fly.

If Leonard does decide to find a new team, both Miami and Dallas are enticing destinations.

With Luka Doncic already playing at an elite level, the Mavericks are looking to maximize his potential. The Kristaps Porzingis experiment has not panned out how the team had hoped, and now they find themselves in need of a running mate for Luka. Adding Leonard would give the Mavericks two elite offensive talents and a lockdown defender to guard the opposing team's best players.

After a Cinderella run in the bubble, things did not pan out for the Heat this season. They found themselves with an early playoff exit at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks. Now Miami is in the hunt to add pieces that can aid them in getting back to the NBA finals.

Jimmy Butler is not getting any younger, and Miami is looking to strike before father time starts to catch up to him. Acquiring Leonard is just the type of move to do that. Both are two-way stars who can elevate their game in the big moments.

Leonard showed how fast he can turn a franchise's fortunes around in Toronto back in 2019. If he decides to leave the Clippers, Leonard is sure to be the top prize in the NBA this offseason.

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.