The Dallas Mavericks are reported to have made plans to trade for LeBron James during the 2022/23 regular season.
The Lakers struggled quite a lot during the campaign and only saw things improve after they brought in some new talent at the trade deadline. They ended up making it to the Western Conference Finals before getting swept by the Denver Nuggets.
The Mavs were more or less out of the playoff picture nearing the deadline and, according to Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report, were preparing to make an offer for James while the Lakers were facing their own difficulties on the court.
Haynes notes:
“The Mavericks were preparing to make an offer for James last season when the Lakers were spiraling, sources say, despite James being ineligible for a trade last season due to the date of his extension. But the Lakers made a string of trades near the deadline that changed the trajectory of their season.”
Why LeBron James Isn’t Expected To Retire
The Lakers’ turning things around apparently forced the Mavericks to alter their plans, but their pursuit of the veteran might not be over as LBJ has hinted that he could opt to leave the Lakers, with retirement also possibly an option.
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James, though, is expected to return for a 21st season as there are multiple reasons for him to do so. Firstly, his production hasn’t waned as he averaged close to 29 points per game in 2022/23.
There’s also the opportunity to put himself even farther out of reach as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Even more importantly, the chance of playing alongside his son Bronny is even greater as the youngster moves closer to the NBA Draft after committing to a college program.
Also, let’s not forget King James would be leaving close to $100 million on the table should he decide to walk away.
