New Report Reveals Mavericks Trade Interest In Clippers' Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard could be on his way out of Inglewood, California.

According to reports, the LA Clippers are engaged in trade discussions for Leonard with multiple teams, and the first team mentioned was one he won a championship with: the Toronto Raptors. Now, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic, the Dallas Mavericks have discussed a package of P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson, and multiple draft picks for Leonard.

The person responsible for getting him to Toronto the first time now runs the Mavs, as Masai Ujiri took over as team president in May. In 2018, Ujiri made the controversial decision to trade beloved Toronto star DeMar DeRozan, along with Jakob Poeltl and a future first-round pick, to the San Antonio Spurs for Leonard and Danny Green.

At the time, Leonard had been dealing with a strange quad injury, and his value was quite low around the NBA.

He was also entering the final year of his contract, and he did not sign an extension with the Raptors after the trade. Still, the movie immediately paid off, as the Raptors won the championship that year.

The Mavericks and Clippers have discussed a trade centered around Klay Thompson and Kawhi Leonard 😳, per @TheAthletic

“The Mavericks and LA Clippers have discussed a deal that would send the seven-time All-Star Leonard to Dallas for a package that would include P.J.… pic.twitter.com/g2XaLWhJVS
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 28, 2026

Despite winning a championship, Leonard departed for his hometown LA Clippers in free agency, only doing so after the Clippers heavily overpaid to trade for Paul George, a trade they just finished paying off.

Once again, Leonard is entering the final year of his contract, making just over $50 million. He's about to turn 35 years old and has never been the healthiest player, but the 65 games he played last season were the second-most he had played since leaving San Antonio.

Leonard still averaged 27.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 3.6 APG while shooting 50.5% from the floor, 38.7% from three, and 89.2% from the free-throw line.

Apr 7, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) runs on the court during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images

Should the Dallas Mavericks Be Pursuing Kawhi Leonard?

When Masai Ujiri took the job, he said that every move they would make from then on would be about the future and building around Cooper Flagg.

This doesn't feel like that, especially if they give up multiple first-round picks. They already don't have many to spare, as they don't have any of their own first-round picks until 2031.

It's understandable to want to move on from P.J. Washington and Klay Thompson, as Thompson isn't getting any younger, and Washington is in a crowded frontcourt.

Leonard wouldn't help that crowding at all. Unless they'd plan to play a lineup of Kyrie Irving, Cooper Flagg, Kawhi Leonard, Morez Johnson Jr., and Dereck Lively II, which isn't that impossible, trading for Leonard wouldn't solve any of their main issues.

It would help their abysmal three-point shooting, and that defense would be incredible to watch, but relying on Leonard to be healthy at this stage of his career feels like a mistake.

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