The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly not pursuing a trade for Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James despite rumors in recent days.
The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly not pursuing a trade for Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James.
Rumors about a potential union between James and the Mavericks began to heat up over the past few days following reports that the forward could request a trade from the Lakers to a more competitive team.
James’ agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, released a statement early in the offseason claiming that he “knows the Lakers are building for the future” and “values a realistic chance of winning it all,” per ESPN.
This statement, combined with the Lakers’ seemingly clear decision to build a roster more suitable for competing around Luka Dončić, prompted numerous rumors about a potential trade.
On Tuesday, rumors about the Mavericks discussing a trade with the Lakers to acquire James gained traction, with the Mavericks’ betting odds to acquire the future Hall of Famer skyrocketing.
The Dallas Mavericks are the new favorites to land LeBron James, per @BovadaOfficial
Dallas Mavericks (+125)
Miami Heat (+500)
Cleveland Cavaliers (+550)
Golden State Warriors (+600)
New York Knicks (+800) pic.twitter.com/mWDSlpVsgV— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 15, 2025
However, more recent reports have suggested that a trade is unlikely to occur in the near future.
NBA Insider Marc Stein reported that “a trade is realistic and a buyout makes no sense for the Lakers,” adding that the most likely scenario is that James begins the season in Los Angeles, per Full Court Pass.
Additionally, Kevin Gray Jr. of DLLS Sports spoke with a source from inside the Mavericks and confirmed that James is not currently a target for the franchise.
“The source was adamant that there are no trade discussions between the teams despite persistent speculation to the contrary,” he wrote.
Realistically, a trade between the Lakers and Mavericks would have been difficult to complete due to salary restrictions.
James is scheduled to make just over $52 million next season after picking up the player option in his contract, meaning Dallas would have to send enough players to almost completely match that salary.
Dallas would likely need to lose at least two of Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, and P.J. Washington to complete a trade with the Lakers, as each of those players is set to be paid between $14 million and $20 million next season.
Additional players would likely need to be included to match salaries more specifically, but at least two of those players would be required to make the financial aspects of that trade complete.
As a result, the Mavericks would lose a significant portion of their roster depth, which will make this team formidable next season, a move that would be risky for a player who will turn 41 years old in December.
Category: General Sports
