The Los Angeles Lakers took care of the future of the franchise by trading for Luka Doncic in February. He is supposed to lead the Lakers into a new era after LeBron James retires. But what if he exits before that?
LeBron exercised his player option, worth $52.6 million, in the wee hours of Sunday, with a twist. Per his agent, Rich Paul, James “will be closely monitoring the Lakers’ moves and whether the team is positioning itself this offseason to field a title-contending roster.”
And if he does not like the team’s direction, he could find a new home. Trade speculation has run rampant, and there’s a new report by Jovan Buha emerging about his possible destination.
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According to Buha, the Dallas Mavericks are a strong contender to land James if a trade should happen. There are, of course, other teams in the equation as well, but the Mavericks do have the capital to make this massive move without tearing their main pieces apart.
On his podcast, he said, “As for where LeBron could go, I think it’s a little bit too early for that, I don’t think we’re at a point of him asking out but if he does, I assume there will be a list, but in terms of four teams that make sense I came up with Dallas, Cleveland, New York and Golden State in no particular order. But I will say that there has been some LeBron and Dallas buzz going on for a couple of years.”
Whispers and murmurs of a LeBron-Dallas trade have been making the rounds since 2023 when Kyrie Irving joined the Mavericks. Irving, Anthony Davis, and Jason Kidd, who coached him during the Lakers’ 2020 run, seem like the perfect setup for the King, who is desperate for another ring.
Could LeBron James have the Dallas Mavericks on his list of teams IF he asked out?
Buzz in the NBA ether about LeBron & Dallas?
Check this out from @jovanbuha #MFFL
(🎥: Buha’s Block Podcast) pic.twitter.com/trngn9A2Nt
— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) June 30, 2025
Ditching the Lakers wouldn’t happen overnight, since his agent, stated that James wants to win now, while the Lakers are building for the future. If LeBron doesn’t see a way back to the Finals, he could turn the offseason upside down.
“If the disaster scenario for the Lakers plays out…keep an eye on Dallas,” Buha added.
Can LeBron James Really Join the Dallas Mavericks?
While King James was eligible to be a free agent this offseason, he only had two paths: either pick up the option or decline and hit the open market.
Acquiring Doncic did add to the hope that he would stick around, but it was nothing but another variable. With that trade, he had to lose Davis, a defensive anchor. After all, they were together for six years and won a championship together in 2020.
Buha noted that a few sources close to Los Angeles reportedly displayed concerns with how James took the news of the AD-Luka trade. He was blindsided since general manager Rob Pelinka kept the trade negotiations under wraps.
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Even the possibility of LeBron quitting on the Lakers is already sending shockwaves in the NBA community. Imagine the kind of seismic activity that will take place if this actually pans out. While the exact terms of the hypothetical deal are unclear, the Lakers will need to weigh their options rather carefully.
Dallas could be eager to solidify their chances at a championship, too, especially after the Doncic trade that brought them so much criticism. The Mavericks would want to create a formidable team around James. It is unlikely to have Cooper Flagg or Davis included in any deal, which means James would have a strong supporting cast alongside Irving, who would not be able to play until late in the season
As for the Lakers, there will be a lot of deliberation, as the franchise is looking to prioritize gaining draft capital to strengthen and reshape their future. If James requested a trade, it would bulldoze a lot of their planning, too.
Despite everything, asking out of the Lakers, a storied franchise, still seems far-fetched for James. He is looking to build a legacy in Los Angeles. But recent comments from Paul have added a layer of intrigue. After all, James is someone who values winning over everything else.
If the Lakers aren’t in a position to win, it would not be surprising for the King to walk away. Dallas, on the other hand, does seem like a good fit for the future Hall of Famer.
