2021 NBA Free Agency: Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks set to be involved in potential Kawhi Leonard sweepstakes

The 2021 NBA free agency will have the likes of Kawhi Leonard, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry up for grabs, giving franchises some brilliant options to target in the upcoming offseason. If Leonard does end up declining the player option on his contract, fans can expect him to be a part of a major bidding war this summer.

2021 NBA Free Agency: Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks expected to pursue Kawhi Leonard in the summer

Los Angeles Clippers v Utah Jazz - Game Two

According to Kevin O'Connor of the Ringer, the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat are prime candidates to pursue Kawhi Leonard's signature in 2021 NBA free agency.

The Dallas Mavericks fancy their chances of getting Kawhi Leonard because they have a franchise cornerstone in Luka Doncic, and can work out the cap space to land the small forward.

The Clippers showed what they can do without Kawhi Leonard by going six games in the West Finals. Imagine what they can do next year with him, following an offseason that could see lots of player movement. New @ringer story on LA’s pivotal summer ahead: https://t.co/Xc2N9OXmJc

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) July 1, 2021

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat are planning to pair up Kawhi Leonard with star swingman Jimmy Butler. They don't have the necessary cap space to sign Leonard, but a sign-and-trade deal option is one they could consider.

Despite multiple talks about Kawhi Leonard's 2021 NBA free agency, there is a high probability of him staying with the LA Clippers ahead of the 2021-22 season. The Clippers had a historic run in the postseason, where they managed to beat the Utah Jazz in the second round without Leonard, before eventually going down to the Phoenix Suns in the conference finals.

Kawhi Leonard missed eight games for the LA Clippers in the 2021 NBA playoffs. He went down with a knee injury in Game 4 of the Western Conference semi-finals against the Utah Jazz. Leonard hasn't played a single game since then, and there is a chance that he incurred an ACL injury.

The extent of Kawhi Leonard's injury could prove to be a decisive factor. An ACL injury could lead to him contemplating staying with the Clippers. The team might be accommodating enough to let him rest for a year and then come back for the 2022-23 season fully recuperated.

With Kawhi Leonard, the Los Angeles Clippers would be in the NBA Finals.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) July 1, 2021

If Kawhi Leonard does end up declining the player option, he will certainly be the most coveted player in 2021 NBA free agency. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Leonard's Clippers teammate Paul George were also expected to be free agents, but the two stars signed extensions with their respective franchises during the course of the 2021-22 NBA campaign.