Tim MacMahon doesn’t believe LeBron James would move to the Mavericks.
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NBA insider Tim MacMahon of ESPN has turned down the rumors of LeBron James’ potential move to the Dallas Mavericks. MacMahon has said that the move would not make sense to either of the parties involved. It is to be noted that James has reportedly picked up his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season. However, his decision has also led to the rumors about his future with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The speculations arose following the statement of James’ agent, Rich Paul, who said that the former “wants to compete for a championship” and “values a realistic chance of winning it all.” Following the statement, trade rumors started surfacing and the Dallas Mavericks along with the Cleveland Cavaliers emerged as front runners to acquire the four-time champion.
However, ESPN Insider Tim MacMahon has quashed the rumors of James’ potential move to the Mavericks stating that the deal wouldn’t benefit anyone involved. He said, “You’re giving up three or four rotation players for a potential ring-chasing retirement tour? That doesn’t make sense for Dallas. It doesn’t make sense for LeBron because he has a no-trade clause. ‘Hold on, I want to play with those guys, not have them go to LA.’”
MacMahon Believes the Only Way LeBron James Joins Mavericks Would be Buyout
The ESPN insider went on to opine that the only way the 21-time NBA All-Star would move to the Mavericks would be through buyout. He stated, “That is the only path I could see for LeBron James to come join Kyrie, Anthony Davis, a couple of his former championship teammates in Dallas.”
While the speculations have been doing rounds all over the internet, it seems unrealistic that James would want to move from the Lakers. He has played a huge role in helping the team achieve the kind of fame following a few tough years after Kobe Bryant’s retirement. In addition, the Lakers now also have Luka Doncic, and with his acquisition, the Lakers have gained a sense of clear direction.
With James nearing his retirement, it seems highly unlikely that he would want to move teams and begin everything from zero somewhere else.