Lakers Urged To Trade LeBron James After Latest Rumors

Officially, LeBron James has yet to ask the Los Angeles Lakers to be traded or bought out of his contract.

However, that doesn’t mean the Lakers shouldn’t explore that path on their own.

Dan Favale of Bleacher Report said the Lakers should look into trading James to the Dallas Mavericks. After Rich Paul’s eerie comments made to ESPN’s Shams Charania and reports coming from the NBA Summer League, it may be in the Lakers’ best interest to maximize what they can get for the four-time Finals MVP.

“LeBron James apparently had the hots for the Dallas Mavericks before opting into the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers,” Favale wrote. “Are we just supposed to believe he’s no longer intrigued by the prospect of reuniting with both Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving?”

James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists on 51.3% shooting in his 22nd NBA season last year for Los Angeles. 

How Realistic Is A Dallas Trade?

While Favale highlighted that a James move to Dallas would be shocking, it is by no means out of the question. 

James would have a hard time joining the Mavericks while still owed $52.7 million next season, making a buyout the more likely path. However, it would also be tough for the Lakers to just say ‘goodbye‘ to James after his seven years with the team, while getting nothing in return. Dallas would also need to offer a significant return to spark L.A.’s interest. 

“Bringing in LeBron is one thing if he’s coming off a buyout. It is another venture entirely when you have to account for his $52.7 million salary, and when he’s entering his age-41 season,” Favale wrote. “Building a package is far from impossible. But it would require the Mavs forking over four or five players—at minimum.”

Dallas would likely need to send back Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, Max Christie, and Dwight Powell, or other rotational pieces, as well as strong draft capital, which they lack. They seem poised to go ahead with their currently constructed roster featuring both youth and veteran talent, though a James deal might strengthen their ability to compete now. 

Yes, James joining the Mavericks just months after they traded Luka Doncic might be one of the strangest twists in NBA history, as the two teams would essentially be swapping rosters. 

Is It Best For LeBron To Stay With The Lakers?

Regardless of how difficult a James to Dallas trade, or James to any other team trade could be, there’s a question of whether it’s in his best interest to stay with the Lakers. They reportedly didn’t tell him about the sale of the team and haven’t treated him as their number-one option, instead going to Doncic for input on offseason additions.

“The Lakers have Luka Dončić. He is their primary cornerstone—their timeline,” Favale wrote. “We can’t pretend everything between the two is hunky-dory after the four-time champ opted into the final year of his contract and his agent, Rich Paul, made comments to ESPN’s Shams Charania that read like a bizarrely phrased farewell.”

They made offseason moves to bolster their roster for next year, but the team still has the challenge of competing against tough Western Conference competition, making a Finals run all the more difficult. 

Though his interest may have just been exactly that, interest, James may have opted into his deal to secure the $52 million rather than confirming Los Angeles as his preferred team. 

“Wouldn’t it make sense to cash in their James stock if they aren’t challenging at the top of the West?” John Hollinger of The Athletic wrote. “The best realistic way for him to get paid next summer by his team of choice is to land at his preferred destination via trade, and then have intact Bird rights in the summer of 2026.”

All signs point to the fact that James has control of his own future, and wherever he wants to play, that’s where he’s going to play. Despite all the speculation, rumors, and reports, he is under contract for the Lakers next season.