The Dallas Mavericks are only interested in LeBron James if he becomes a free agent through a buyout, not via trade, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin on ESPN Radio 710 in Los Angeles.
LeBron recently picked up his massive $52.6 million player option for next season, but there’s more to the story.
His agent, Rich Paul, made it clear to ESPN’s Shams Charania that LeBron will be “closely monitoring the Lakers’ moves” this offseason to see if they’re building a team that can actually compete for a title.
This has set off alarm bells around the league.
Some NBA executives are wondering if LeBron’s decision to opt in might actually be setting the stage for a trade request, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
LeBron Holds All the Cards
What makes this situation unique is LeBron’s no-trade clause. If he does ask to be moved, he gets to pick his destination.
The Lakers shocked everyone in February by trading for superstar Luka Doncic from Dallas. Some team staffers were worried about how LeBron would react to being blindsided by the move.
While an in-season trade seems unlikely for LeBron, he could potentially ask the Lakers for a contract buyout later this summer if their offseason moves don’t impress him.
Dallas makes sense as a potential landing spot. LeBron has history with both Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, who happen to be the only Mavs players making over $20 million next season.
But fitting LeBron’s salary would be tricky.
The Mavs would need to package several players together – possibly some combination of Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, and P.J. Washington – to make the money work.
Even if LeBron doesn’t retire next summer, this could very well be his final season wearing purple and gold.
Lakers Looking Toward a Doncic-Led Future
The Lakers are clearly planning their future around Doncic, not LeBron.
Luka becomes eligible to sign a massive extension on August 2 – up to four years and $229 million. If they somehow don’t reach a deal (highly unlikely), Doncic would become a free agent in 2026.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, a max deal would start at $51 million for the 2026-27 season, replacing his player option for that year.
Another possibility is Doncic signing a shorter three-year, $165 million extension with a player option in the final year. This would let him hit free agency sooner and potentially make up the $345 million he lost when Dallas traded him.