The Dallas Mavericks have endured a chaotic year-and-a-half, and it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the franchise will be attempting to restore some order this offseason. Cooper Flagg is the new face of the franchise, and on Monday, the Mavs hired former Toronto Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri to be their new team president and alternate governor.
Ujiri, who helped lead the Raptors to a championship in 2019, will attempt to help rebuild the Mavericks in a similar manner moving forward. Having Flagg as a central building block will certainly help, but as NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints quickly noted, Ujiri’s connections across the league could help his new team pull off a blockbuster trade for a guy like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kawhi Leonard.
Masai Ujiri Could Help Mavericks Trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard
Dallas has been in a state of disarray since it traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers midway through the 2024-25 campaign. Doncic led the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals just the year before, but the team inexplicably decided to ship him to the Lakers in what is widely viewed as one of the worst trades in the history of the league.
The Doncic trade cost former general manager Nico Harrison his job, and the Mavericks have largely been picking up the pieces in the aftermath of this move. Anthony Davis, who was the main return as part of this trade, was shipped to the Washington Wizards, fully indicating the team’s plan to build around Flagg, who just won the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year Award.
With all the assets the Mavs have picked up from trading away Doncic and Davis, though, the front office has the ability to pull off a massive move this offseason, should it want to. And now that Ujiri is joining the front office, his strong ties to Antetokounmpo and Leonard could help the team swing a blockbuster trade for one of those guys.
“It is worth noting that Masai Ujiri has an incredibly strong bond and relationship with several players around the league, including Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard,” Siegel wrote in a post on X.
Should the Mavericks Trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard?
GettyThe Mavericks have immediately been linked to a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kawhi Leonard after hiring Masai Ujiri
Ujiri played a big role in helping Antetokounmpo transition to the NBA, even though they never were a part of the same team. Leonard, on the other hand, was the final piece that helped Toronto win a title in 2019, and while he ultimately bolted in free agency after his half-season stint with the team, he has a strong bond with Ujiri as well.
Players have more control over where they are playing in the NBA than ever before, and with both Antetokounmpo and Leonard expected to be traded this offseason, their ties with Ujiri cannot be overlooked. Should they hit the trade block, both guys will draw quite a bit of interest across the league, but in the blink of an eye, the Mavericks have barged their way into the battle for their services.
Mavericks Linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard Trade After Masai Ujiri Hire