A 3-Team Trade Idea To Pair LeBron James with His Former Co-Star

The writing was on the wall when LeBron James opted into his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. His time with the franchise is nearing an end.

After polling several NBA executives and player agents, no one could think of a reason why he wouldn't opt out to re-sign on a one-plus-one deal—with a second-year player option in the $55-$58.5 million range—unless the obvious was true: The Lakers weren't offering it.

James has one of the league's rare no-trade clauses and can block any move the Lakers try to make without his consent. He can pick where he goes in a trade, and the Dallas Mavericks are believed to be one of the teams high on his list.

The future Hall of Famer has won championships with Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and—in his role as assistant coach with the Lakers—Jason Kidd. In moving Luka Dončić to Los Angeles before last February's trade deadline, the Mavericks are eager to win now, given Davis is already 32 years old.

Working from the premise that the Lakers won't buy out James' contract, Dallas is willing to give up depth, but neither draft picks nor players like Klay Thompson, Max Christie or Dereck Lively II, the following is a theoretical three-team trade (roping in the Brooklyn Nets) to land James with the Mavericks.

Full Trade Scenario

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Mavericks get:

• LeBron James (from Lakers)
• Bronny James (from Lakers)
• Drew Timme (from Nets)
• Tyrese Martin (from Nets)
• $1.8 million trade exception (Dwight Powell)
• $1.1 million trade exception (Olivier-Maxence Prosper)

Lakers get:

• Daniel Gafford (from Mavericks)
• PJ Washington (from Mavericks)
• Naji Marshall (from Mavericks)
• Caleb Martin (from Mavericks)
• Jaden Hardy (from Mavericks)
• 2030 Lakers second-rounder (from Nets)
• 2031 Lakers second-rounder (from Nets)
• $24.1 million trade exception (LeBron James)

Nets get:

• Dalton Knecht (from Lakers)
• Maxi Kleber (from Lakers)
• Olivier-Maxence Prosper (from Mavericks)
• Dwight Powell (from Mavericks)

Notes: Timme and Tyrese Martin's salaries remain non-guaranteed in the deal, with cut-down dates of January 7, 2026. James would probably need to waive his $1.5 million trade bonus to help enable the Mavericks to return to the required 14 regular contracts (which may take a couple of weeks in the season, with Dallas near its second-apron hard cap). The Mavericks would pay Marshall a trade bonus of just over $921,000.

Why the Dallas Mavericks Do It

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The initial assumption is Dallas views James, even at almost 41, as the viable option to propel the franchise into upper-echelon contention. The cost is depth.

The Mavericks recently paid Gafford, but ensured they didn't give enough to trigger the extend-and-trade restriction. Despite giving the 26-year-old another $54.4 million on July 12, Dallas can reroute him in trade immediately.

Washington and Marshall's roles on the team are likely to be diminished by No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. The seven-player outgoing combination (including Caleb Martin, Hardy, Prosper and Powell) is necessary to keep the Mavericks below the $207.8 million second apron that was triggered by the D'Angelo Russell signing with the taxpayer mid-level exception.

Getting back to 14 players will require minor gymnastics, which is why Tyrese Martin and Timme (from the Nets) are inexpensive, non-guaranteed options to help the Mavericks reach that goal early in the season, adding minor flexibility later in the year.

The loss of depth is a requirement with the apron restriction if James is decidedly the priority. Along with free agent Dante Exum, expected to return, the Mavericks' lineup would feature eight proven veterans, plus the projected top rookie in his class, Flagg. Dallas can add another veteran big man in early November, though most of the minutes at center would be filled by Davis and Lively.

Flagg could start in the backcourt with James, Davis, Lively and Russell (eventually Irving, once healthy from a knee injury), or come off the bench with Thompson adding shooting to the starting group.

The Lakers never had a young defensive center behind Davis and James like Lively. Irving and James won a title together in Cleveland with the Cavaliers. Dallas would be making a bold move, but James remains one of the league's top NBA stars. It wouldn't be an easy decision, but depth can be replenished; James cannot be easily replicated.

Why the Los Angeles Lakers Do It

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The Lakers have their new franchise face in Dončić. Building around him properly while spending over $50 million on James is problematic.

For now, it appears the franchise has set its eyes on the summer of 2026 and the possibility of using cap room to lure a second star. That plan is not without its risks (and flaws), but the immediate downside is potentially wasting a year in transition.

L.A. lucked into veterans Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart on the buyout market, but depth remains precarious. Sending off James for five viable rotation players completely shifts the team's identity.

Dončić has proven chemistry with Gafford (who would presumably back up Ayton) and Washington (who might step into the starting lineup). Wings Marshall and Martin would give Dončić wing support. Hardy can provide a scoring punch at guard.

In the deal, Los Angeles gets under the luxury tax, takes a step to reset the putative repeater clock, while getting back a pair of seconds previously sent to the Nets (primarily the return for offloading Knecht).

Some of the incoming contracts have multiple years, but none are significantly expensive. Washington will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season. The Lakers also receive a large trade exception for James, some of which could be used to take on another $15 million in salary if the team isn't concerned about the tax and is willing to spend up to its $195.9 million first-apron hard cap.

If the decision is between waiting for an uncertain summer in 2026 or complying with a trade demand from James to Dallas, the added depth and flexibility seem to be a win for L.A.

Why the Brooklyn Nets Do It

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The Nets are steering hard into the rebuild. Focusing on draft picks and young players, Brooklyn isn't prioritizing winning this coming year.

Outside of center Nicolas Claxton and recent trade acquisitions (Michael Porter Jr. from the Denver Nuggets and Terance Mann from the Atlanta Hawks), no one else on the team currently earns over $6.9 million for 2025-26.

Brooklyn has a long list of players and about $22 million in cap room to work with before signing restricted free agent Cam Thomas. Before considering this three-team trade, some on the roster will need to be cut. Once completed, the Nets would presumably waive Powell and Kleber, and one of Keon Johnson, Jalen Wilson or another player with a guaranteed salary. 

Additional trades could help thin out the roster, but Brooklyn is essentially giving up a couple of seconds to get a free look at Knecht and Prosper, while helping the Lakers and Mavericks clear salary. The Nets could also attempt to secure cash in the deal from the two franchises.

It's not a blockbuster for Brooklyn, but that's the role the Nets have taken on this summer as a facilitator with cap room.

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