The Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks shocked the entire league at the trade deadline last season when they swapped Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic. According to the latest rumors, they might be in for another blockbuster move. With the Lakers pivoting around Luka, and the Dallas Mavericks trying to win now, they have emerged as a favorite to land LeBron James.
Mavericks and Lakers Eye Another Blockbuster Trade
LeBron is 40 years old and is at the end of his illustrious career. Even at this age, he is still among the best players in the league. Last season, he was elected as an All-Star and made the All-NBA second team.
When the Mavericks traded Luka for AD, their general manager, Nico Harrison, said the motivation was to win now. Well, what better way to win now than to trade for one of the best players in league history?
According to Bovada, a sports betting website, the Mavericks have emerged as the favorite to land LeBron James. Among the top five teams, the Mavericks are at +125, followed by the Miami Heat at +500, the Cleveland Cavaliers at +550, the Golden State Warriors at +600, and the New York Knicks at +800. Can that happen?
Can the Dallas Mavericks Trade for LeBron James?
The problem with any team trying to trade for LeBron is that they have to gut their roster. With James opting into his contract, he has a salary of $52 million for the 2025-26 season. The good news is that the Mavericks, as presently constructed, are below the second apron. That means they can aggregate contracts to meet the salary of LeBron.
But right now, that means they have to pack Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, Klay Thompson, and someone like Naji Marshal or Max Christie to make salaries work. If they need to include a pick, they can return the 2029 first-round pick they got from the Lakers in the Luka-AD swap. The bottom line is that if they truly go all-in for LeBron, they can get there. But, it will seriously hurt their depth.
Mavericks Can Make LeBron’s Dream Come True
If the Mavericks land LeBron, they will make his dream of a big three of AD, Kyrie Irving, and James a reality. For a while, the rumors of Kyrie joining LeBron in Los Angeles. At the time, the Mavs managed to trade for Kyrie and then extend him to a long-term contract.
It is no secret that LeBron and Kyrie enjoyed their time playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They won a title together, and while Kyrie left, the two remained friends. Last year, both admitted they missed playing together.
Should the Mavs Trade for LeBron?
Following the first two weeks of free agency, one thing is certain. There are three clear favorites in the Western Conference: the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Houston Rockets, and the Denver Nuggets. OKC is the defending champion, while the Rockets and Nuggets made big improvements to their roster.
Yet, any team with LeBron has a chance to compete. In the playoffs, when things slow down, LeBron is still among the best performers. One positive news for Dallas is that they have Cooper Flagg on their roster. Even if the LeBron experiment fails, they will have many more years to pivot around Flagg. The biggest challenge will be going through the grind of the regular season with a gutted roster.
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