The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into what could become a wild offseason as NBA free agency begins to heat up. With free agency opening at 6 p.m. ET on Monday evening, LeBron James will be a name to watch closely.
After choosing to pick up his $52.6 million player option on Sunday, James is closely monitoring what else the Lakers choose to do this offseason.
His agent, Rich Paul, sent out a strong message about James’ future. He made it clear that the longtime superstar wants to win and that he understands Los Angeles is building more towards the future.
Many took that quote as a message that James could potentially request a trade.
Read more: Report: Lakers, Deandre Ayton Rumors Receive Massive Update
Paul’s statement made it clear that James and his team will evaluate the future.
“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future,” Paul said. “We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”
Could James actually consider requesting a trade? If he did opt to request a trade, would there be teams around the NBA willing to give up the value it would take to acquire him? Those are difficult questions to answer.
One team has been mentioned as a possible trade destination.
According to NBA insider Jovan Buha, who has covered the Lakers for seven years, has named the Dallas Mavericks as a team to watch if James requests a move.
The Dallas Mavericks are a team to keep an eye on if LeBron James requests a trade, per @jovanbuha (h/t @KevinGraySports / @NationMffl ) pic.twitter.com/YaB7x0iRhg
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 30, 2025
Read more: Report: Rockets Gearing Up for Attempt to Steal Key Lakers Wing
Truthfully, the Mavericks make perfect sense as a trade partner. James has a close relationship with Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. However, the financial aspect could make things very difficult for the two teams to work out.
James is still playing at a very high level at 40 years old. He is coming off of a 2024-25 NBA season where he played in 70 games, averaging 24.4 points per game to go along with 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and a steal while shooting 51.3 percent from the floor and 37.6 percent from distance.
If James does request a trade from Los Angeles, Dallas could be a possible fit. That scenario still seems unlikely, but it cannot be ruled out at this point.
For more on the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
The post Report: Mavericks Mentioned as Possible LeBron James Trade Destination appeared first on Newsweek.
