The Kawhi Leonard chatter around the Mavericks never made much sense on its face. Leonard is 35, Cooper Flagg is 19, and Dallas has already reset its timeline around the young wing. A win-now swing for a player at Leonard’s stage of his career would cut against everything the Mavericks just did to salvage their future by trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis in 2025.
That’s why the separate Cameron Johnson rumor lands with a lot more logic.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Mavericks are "believed to be among the many interested teams" in the 6-foot-8 sharpshooter. Johnson is entering the final year of a four-year, $94.5 million deal with Denver, and around the league he’s viewed as the Nuggets’ most likely trade candidate this summer.
The appeal is obvious. Johnson is over four years younger than Leonard, and Dallas wouldn’t need to pay nearly as steep a price to get him. He’s no longer a star-level headliner, but that’s part of the point: the Mavericks don’t have to empty the cupboard for him, and they could even focus on moving his contract rather than chasing a huge return.
For a Dallas team that badly needs shooting, the fit jumps off the page.
The Mavericks were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA last season, and that has to change if they’re going to get back on track. Drafting Sergio De Larrea helps, but the roster still needs proven shooters around him. The team has already said that’s an area it wants to address, and Johnson checks that box cleanly.
He shot 43 percent from three on 4.7 attempts per game last season, and his career mark sits at 39.6 percent from beyond the arc. That would make him one of the best shooters on Dallas’ roster immediately, and his presence would give Flagg much more room to attack the rim.
Denver may also have an incentive to move him. The Nuggets could attach sweeteners, including second-round draft capital, as they try to free up money before signing Peyton Watson to a new contract. Watson is a restricted free agent, so Denver can match any offer, but the team should be looking for ways to avoid the second apron.
If that means sending Johnson out, Dallas could be in position to help.
The Mavericks would be taking on a player who could either be a one-year solution or more. If Johnson doesn’t perform, they could let him walk after the season. If he does, Dallas would have a veteran shooter worth thinking about keeping next summer as it tries to get back to the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2024.
In Other News...
Mavericks Make Early Free Agency Move Cooper Flagg Fans Will Love
Ryan Nembhard gave the Mavericks enough as a rookie to make himself part of the conversation going forward, and Dallas moved early to make sure he stays in the picture. The guard appeared in 60 games and made 27 starts, averaging 6.6 points and 5.3 assists while showing enough steadiness for the front office to keep him in the fold.
For a team that still has work to do around its young core, securing Nembhard now lets Dallas move on to the rest of free agency without worrying about another rotation piece drifting away. It also keeps a backcourt option on the board through the 2026-27 season, which matters for a roster trying to build some continuity as it adds more talent around Cooper Flagg. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks May Have A Bigger Frontcourt Decision Than Fans Realize
With free agency set to open June 30 and contracts officially starting July 6, the Mavericks are sorting through a frontcourt picture that looks a little more complicated than it did a few weeks ago. Dallas is building around Cooper Flagg and has four unrestricted free agents to consider, but Marvin Bagley III is the name that could force the toughest conversation among them.
Bagley gave the Mavericks a usable stretch after coming over from Washington, and that kind of frontcourt depth matters when a team is trying to stabilize its roster heading into a pivotal summer. The problem is that Dallas may not be eager to chase the kind of contract Bagley can find on the open market, especially with other center priorities already on the books and several teams likely to take a look. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Kawhi Leonard Buzz Comes With Two Massive Red Flags
The Mavericks have been floated as a possible landing spot if the Clippers ever decided to listen on Kawhi Leonard, with some chatter around a package built from P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson and draft capital. It is the sort of star-chasing speculation that naturally follows Dallas around, especially when a player of Leonards caliber enters the conversation and the front office has to be mentioned by default.
For now, though, the buzz comes with plenty of caution tape. NBA insider Jake Fischer has said Dallas is not viewed as a plausible destination at this stage, and he added that the league has not yet indicated it would stop a Leonard deal outright. Even so, the combination of the trade cost and the questions surrounding Leonards long-term future makes this feel more like background noise than a real path forward, at least until the market tells a different story. [Read more 🡒]