© Getty Images — LeBron James isn’t closing the door on the Dallas Mavericks
There’s no doubt that LeBron James is one of the most important basketball players in NBA history, and any team would dream of having him on their roster—not only because of his name, but also for the experience he brings. However, at 40 years old, his level of play is no longer what it once was, so not every team would be willing to make the financial sacrifice or part ways with several of their stars to sign him.
LeBron recently renewed his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers and will remain with the team for the 2025–2026 season, in a deal worth over $52 million, according to ESPN. Despite this renewal, James is not closing any doors and could potentially switch teams at some point.
In recent hours, journalist Marc Stein revealed which team LeBron is reportedly interested in playing for. According to Stein, “James has a genuine curiosity about playing in Dallas.” He added: “Keep in mind, he’s extremely settled off the court in Los Angeles. It has been his family’s primary residence for the past seven years, and he’s building a new home in Beverly Hills. Playing elsewhere at this stage in his life and career would likely require a destination that offers a very special level of comfort to pull him away from all that.”
“The Mavericks seem particularly well positioned to offer that,” commented Stein, “since there are many people in Dallas whom James already knows well — from general manager Nico Harrison and coach Jason Kidd to his former teammates Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.”
Dallas would only sign him if he becomes a free agent
“As I’ve been reporting for weeks: they haven’t tried to trade for him, and they don’t want to try if it means giving up multiple core rotation pieces for a player who turns 41 in December. If James were to suddenly become a free agent and they could sign him to a minimum deal, that would be a different conversation. I strongly believe they would want him in that scenario,” he confirmed.
Finally, Stein pointed out that he doesn’t believe the Lakers will make things easy for LeBron: “I don’t think the Lakers are just going to give up on this season, waive him in August or September, and let him go to Dallas, Golden State, or New York.”
