LeBron James has opted into his $52.6 million player option for 2025-26 with the Los Angeles Lakers, but his tenure with the team could end before the conclusion of that campaign. James may request a trade, and the Dallas Mavericks are being touted as the favorites to acquire him. He reportedly had an interest in joining the team in the past, with Lakers insider Jovan Buha bringing up a wild rumor from 2023.
“I will say that there has been some LeBron and Dallas buzz going on a couple of years now,” Buha said. “Remember in the summer of 2023, right after Dallas had traded for Kyrie [Irving], there was that rumor out there that LeBron was gonna go to Dallas on a vet minimum contract and team up with Draymond [Green], and it was gonna be Luka [Doncic], Kyrie, LeBron and Draymond.”
There was indeed some chatter about this two years ago. The Ringer’s Bill Simmons had predicted that James and Draymond Green would join Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on the Mavericks.
It’s unclear if this was ever close to happening. Green was a free agent in the summer of 2023 and signed a four-year, $100 million deal to stay with the Golden State Warriors. He did consider leaving, but not to the Mavericks. Green revealed he almost signed with the Memphis Grizzlies, but eventually decided to stay.
Instead of trying to convince Green to go to the Mavericks, James was actually telling him to stay with the Warriors. So, you wonder how much truth there was to this.
James taking the veteran minimum is something that seems highly unlikely as well, as he hasn’t taken any major pay cuts since leaving the Miami Heat in 2014. The 40-year-old was willing to take a small one for the Lakers last year, but that’s about it.
Still, it is possible James would have been willing to do so to play alongside Green, Irving, and Doncic on the Mavericks. The 21-time All-Star now gets to play with the Slovenian on the Lakers but might still end up asking out.
Buha listed the Mavericks as one of the four teams that make the most sense for James. He later added that Dallas is the one to keep an eye on.
“There has been some buzz, I will say, in the general NBA ether over the last week or two with LeBron and Dallas,” Buha stated. “And if you just look at the situation, they have [Anthony Davis], they have Kyrie [Irving].
“They have Jason Kidd, who LeBron played with in Team USA and then also played under with the Lakers,” Buha continued. “Kidd was [an] assistant on that 2020 title team, and LeBron loved being coached by him. They also have Nico Harrison… He is a former Nike guy, and LeBron is Mr. Nike.”
James would be reuniting with many familiar faces if he heads to the Mavericks. Buha expects him to stay with the Lakers, but time will tell.
The only thing that’s almost certain is that James will continue to be a force on the court next season. He averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game for the Lakers in 2024-25 to make the All-NBA Second Team.
