A Mavericks-Kawhi Leonard trade would come with a major risk Masai Ujiri knows well

The Dallas Mavericks are officially in the hunt for LA Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard after a report surfaced on Sunday stated Masai Ujiri is interested in reuniting with the two-time champion. Ujiri orchestrated a trade for Leonard in the summer of 2018 during his time with the Toronto Raptors that ultimately helped lead the Raptors to their one and only NBA Finals win in 2019, and this potential trade between the Mavericks and Clippers comes with the same risk that Ujiri took on in 2018.

This danger is Leonard leaving for nothing in free agency the following year, leaving Dallas without the players and draft capital that they traded to get him.

Kawhi Leonard could burn Dallas by leaving after just one season

Toronto's trade for the 6-foot-6 star obviously paid off, as they won the NBA Finals and Leonard won Finals MVP, but he left after just one season, and the Raptors have only won one playoff series since. Ujiri traded for Leonard despite the uncertainty surrounding his long-term future with the team, and even though Leonard headlined an NBA Finals team, he left Toronto to sign with the Clippers that summer.

This is the biggest risk that comes with trading for players on expiring contracts, and Dallas has to have a good feeling that he will re-sign with them next summer if they're going to take a chance on the soon-to-be 35-year-old. He's in the final year of a three-year, $149.5 million contract.

If not, they would be parting with multiple players and draft capital for a player who may burn them and leave in free agency after one season. This is the last thing they need as they look to build around Cooper Flagg, and this is one of the many factors that will determine if the Mavs should make this deal.

Why the Mavericks are not the Raptors

Dallas is in a completely different situation than the Raptors, as Toronto had already made the playoffs in the previous five seasons before trading for Leonard. The Raptors had a strong core in place with Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and Serge Ibaka; they just needed a superstar to help them reach that next level after losing to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the postseason three seasons in a row.

Toronto even got the nickname of "LeBronto" for how much King James and company dominated them in the NBA Playoffs, but LeBron signing with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Raptors trading for Leonard changed everything. They turned into a contender right away, and Kawhi helped give them an incredible season and an inspiring playoff run.

This is probably exactly why Ujiri wants him on his team again in his first summer as the Mavericks' president of basketball operations, but this move seems like it would be skipping some steps ahead of Flagg's second season in the NBA.

Dallas has missed the NBA Playoffs in three of the last four years and just lost 56 games, their second-worst season of the 21st century. The Mavericks don't seem like they're just one piece away from contention, even though Kyrie Irving missed all of last season and Dereck Lively II only played seven games, and the only way a trade for Leonard would be logical is if they knew he would re-sign with them next summer, or he brought them an NBA Championship.

Trading for Leonard comes with a major risk

Ujiri lost the two-time Defensive Player of the Year for nothing in free agency just one year after acquiring him, but this time is much different. He's building around a 19-year-old superstar rather than an established playoff team with experience, and Leonard is eight years older now. The Klaw isn't in his twenties anymore. He turns 35 years old tomorrow and hasn't played in more than 68 games in a season since the 2016-17 season.

Things are much different for both Masai Ujiri and Kawhi Leonard this time around, but the same risk from their year together with the Toronto Raptors remains. Losing Leonard in free agency next summer would be a disaster for the Mavs, especially if they give up significant draft capital to bring him in, and Dallas has to operate with this in mind.

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