'Total Nonsense': Dallas Mavericks Again Linked to LeBron James Trade Rumors

Despite a fresh wave of speculation linking LeBron James to the Dallas Mavericks, league sources around the NBA widely dismiss the idea, with some describing any suggestion of a trade as “total nonsense.”

The chatter began with comments from Lakers reporter Jovan Buha, who mentioned that there has been “some LeBron-and-Dallas buzz” over the past few years. Buha recalled the 2023 offseason when rumors circulated about James potentially joining Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić on a veteran minimum deal. That scenario never materialized, and, according to multiple league figures, nothing has meaningfully progressed.

James recently picked up his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season. While ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that James and agent Rich Paul are “closely monitoring” the Lakers’ offseason activity, league sources say that doesn’t equate to a looming departure — and certainly not one involving Dallas.

“Nobody I’ve talked to thinks this is a real thing,” one league source said. “It’s just not something that’s come up in any serious way. Total nonsense.”

The Mavericks are under the second apron, aided by Irving’s decision to take slightly less than the max on a three-year, $119 million contract he’s eligible to sign on July 6. While that allows Dallas to bundle contracts and explore trades, sources say the team isn’t remotely considering a move for a player who turns 41 in December.

A deal for James would require Dallas to send out a combination of key contributors, such as Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington, Max Christie, Naji Marshall, or Caleb Martin, and others, to match salary. It would deplete the Mavericks, undermining some talent who could play roles next to Cooper Flagg in the long term.

“They weren’t in on Kevin Durant when he was available — and he’s four years younger than LeBron and probably a better fit,” one source noted. “They’re not going to blow up their roster now for a move that doesn’t make sense financially or competitively.”

Though James did not opt out of his contract, his decision to stay does not necessarily lock him into the Lakers long-term. However, league figures say the conditions in Los Angeles would need to deteriorate considerably for a trade request to even be discussed.

“Things would need to sour very significantly in L.A. before LeBron even thinks about asking out,” one source familiar with the situation said. “He’s very fond of Luka. But what the Lakers need to do is put more around both of them… They need to secure Luka’s long-term commitment, too, so it’s not like they’re just going to sit around and wait for LeBron to retire.”

James has a no-trade clause, meaning any potential deal would require his full approval — a level of control few players possess. So while his future is always a topic of intrigue, he’s expected to stay.

Dallas, meanwhile, must be very careful after trading Dončić. The window to contend with Irving and Davis is limited, and a wrong move can jeopardize it. Revisiting an aging superteam model—especially one that would cost the team its depth and flexibility—doesn’t align with successful team-building efforts under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.