The Dallas Mavericks have emerged as a surprise suitor for Kawhi Leonard, according to The Athletic. President of basketball operations Masai Ujiri is interested in reuniting with Leonard, whom he acquired in Toronto in 2018 before the two won a championship together. The Mavericks and Clippers have discussed a deal that would send Leonard to Dallas for a package including P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson, and draft capital, per The Athletic.
The fit would be intriguing on paper, pairing Leonard with reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg and All-Star guard Kyrie Irving in a lineup capable of contending in the West. Leonard is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 27.9 points to go with 6.4 rebounds while shooting 38.7 percent from three. The catch is the draft compensation, as Dallas controls few of its own first-round picks and would be parting with future assets for a player who turns 35, a move that runs counter to Ujiri’s stated focus on building around Flagg for the long term.
There are real obstacles. Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported that Dallas is not currently viewed as a plausible landing spot, and that Leonard would only consider signing a long-term extension with two teams, his former clubs in Toronto and San Antonio. The Raptors have held real talks with the Clippers about a reunion that could center on Brandon Ingram, which may ultimately give Toronto the inside track if Los Angeles decides to move its star.
Shams: Kawhi Leonard would only commit to Raptors on a long-term extension if he is traded.
Clippers, Raptors are "seriously engaged" on a trade.pic.twitter.com/imGQAVhaJT
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) June 29, 2026
More NBA Trade Rumors
- There is a growing consensus around the league that Norman Powell will not return to Miami, according to Michael Scotto. Powell is coming off the best season of his career and his first All-Star nod, but the financial fallout from the Giannis trade makes retaining him difficult. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has said the Heat are expected to lose Powell in free agency unless he takes a steep discount.
- Suitors are already circling for Powell. The Detroit Pistons intend to pursue him to add shooting and playmaking around Cade Cunningham, per Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, while the Chicago Bulls are also expected to show interest, per Scotto. Both teams have the cap flexibility Miami lacks, which could quickly price the Heat out.
- Miami is hard-capped at the first apron with only about $14MM to $18MM to fill four roster spots, per Bobby Marks and insider Brett Siegel. That crunch is the root of every Heat decision this summer, and it explains why the front office is exploring salary-shedding moves before it can chase upgrades.
- Miami has reportedly explored a trade of Nikola Jović to clear that salary, hoping to turn him into shooting around Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. His four-year, $62MM deal is tough to offload and may require attaching a pick. Still, no trade is guaranteed, and Erik Spoelstra has spoken about developing Jović rather than giving up on him.
- The Andrew Wiggins player option is the hidden swing factor for the Heat. If Wiggins picks up his $30.2MM option, Miami’s flexibility tightens further, potentially limiting any Powell offer to the $12MM to $13MM range. A scenario in which Wiggins opts out and re-signs for less could be the key to keeping Powell, though that requires significant cooperation.
- The LeBron James dream refuses to die in Miami. With the Lakers having only checked in without making an offer, Heat legend Mario Chalmers floated a James reunion alongside Antetokounmpo and Adebayo. Barry Jackson has reported that LeBron James could return to Miami on the midlevel exception, though a deal remains a long shot given the financial constraints.
- Anfernee Simons has been mentioned as a bargain fit for the Heat, but he is expected to seek more than the minimum Miami can comfortably offer. The Heat’s realistic path to shooting may instead come from veterans who slip through the cracks, the kind of value signings Pat Riley’s front office has historically pounced on.
