[O'Connor] Dallas is considered by executives to be the most serious threat to land Kawhi because of Luka Doncic’s presence & front office’s ability to create maximum cap space or work out a sign-and-trade. During Kawhi’s years with Nike, he developed a good relationship with Mavs’ GM Nico Harrison.

Source

The Mavericks and Heat plan to make a hard push to acquire Leonard, league sources say.

Dallas is considered by some executives to be the most serious threat to land Kawhi because of Luka Doncic’s presence and the front office’s ability to create maximum cap space or work out a sign-and-trade. During Leonard’s years with Nike, he also developed a good relationship with Nico Harrison, the Mavs’ new general manager and a former longtime executive at the company.