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LeBron James has never been traded during his soon-to-be record-breaking 23 seasons in the NBA. That could change this offseason, and the Dallas Mavericks have emerged as a potential front-runner for the all-time great if he does officially ask out.
James just opted into his $52.6 million deal for next season, but his agent, Rich Paul, made some peculiar comments when he did.
A James trade would shock the world, but so did the deal involving Luka Doncic. The Slovenian guard was, of course, traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers in arguably the most surprising trade in NBA history.
While the Lakers fleeced the Mavericks in that deal, it is clear that Mavs general manager Nico Harrison has a plan, isn't afraid to make controversial decisions, and is comfortable working with the Lakers. The Mavericks GM even has a Nike connection with James. So what could a James-to-Dallas trade look like?
Mavericks' potential trade package for LeBron James
Mavericks receive: LeBron James, Bronny James
Lakers receive: Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Daniel Gafford, Dwight Powell, Max Christie
After James picked up his player option, Paul said, “[James] knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
While this wasn't a clear-cut trade request, it certainly opened the door for the possibility of a trade.
James and Doncic formed arguably the best duo in the NBA after the blockbuster pre-deadline deal last year, but the trade that saw Anthony Davis shipped to Dallas also left the Lakers with some flaws; enough flaws that they aren't viewed as one of the best contending teams heading into next season.
In particular, Los Angeles doesn't have much center depth to speak of. Fans have already seen a Davis-James pairing work as the two won the championship together in 2020.
Both players are past their primes, but if they could string together a healthy season, perhaps it could work again. After all, the Mavericks have a youngster to carry the load now, as they just drafted Cooper Flagg first overall.
This trade would not only reconnect James and Davis, but it would also re-pair James with former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Kyrie Irving.
James and Irving won a championship together with the Cavaliers before the point guard sought a chance to prove himself as the top option. Considering another ring has alluded him since then, Irving would likely welcome a chance to play with James again.
Is a LeBron James trade to the Mavericks likely?
While it is fun to think about a James trade, especially if the Lakers were to negotiate with the Mavericks again, it is far from realistic, and James will probably end up finishing out his career with the Lakers before he retires in a season or two.
James has criticized his teams publicly in the past in order to put pressure on the front office to make roster changes. Paul's quotes are probably more about this than an actual desire for his client to be traded.
Additionally, the Mavericks would have to be hesitant to trade with the Lakers again after they were scrutinized for the last deal that they made with the team. James is one of the best NBA players ever and still has something left in the tank, but he is also 40 years old, and it would take a lot of assets to make the money work in a trade for him.
The Mavericks have to move on from Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Daniel Gafford, Dwight Powell, and Max Christie in this deal, the latter of whom impressed after being a part of the Doncic trade, and the former three of which are key rotation players.
This deal would leave the Mavericks without much depth, which has been a strength of theirs recently. In return, they'd likely only get one or two more years of James. Despite his greatness, regression is a realistic possibility for the 40-year-old.
Furthermore, Irving is at risk of missing the entirety of next season because of a torn ACL. James wants another championship, and although the Mavericks could be contenders upon Irving's return, it doesn't make much sense for James to wait around for a team to get one of their best players back to health.
The Mavericks don't have to trade any draft capital in this trade proposal, but that could also be a deterrent for the Lakers. All in all, a James-to-Dallas deal is highly unlikely despite reports suggesting that could be a possible landing spot.
