With LeBron James‘ Lakers future more in question than ever, teams around the league have reportedly reached out to gauge the King’s trade interest.
Per NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, four franchises have contacted James’ agent about potentially trading for the four-time MVP. Including the Cleveland Cavaliers, LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors — and perhaps most surprisingly, the Dallas Mavericks.
REPORT: The Mavericks, Warriors, Cavaliers, and Clippers all contacted Rich Paul about trading for LeBron James, per @ScoopB.
(h/t @Fullcourtpass) pic.twitter.com/DgRqtm6npv
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 13, 2025
Rich Paul, a childhood friend who’s represented James for almost the entirety of his 22-year career, released a statement last month that LeBron and Klutch Sports will be monitoring the Lakers’ situation very closely after opting-in to his $52.6 million player option.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul said. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future,” he added. “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.”
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
LeBron has a no-trade clause in his contract so he’ll have final say over whether or not he ultimately gets moved. But there’s certainly some doubt being cast by the 40-year-old All-Star ahead of the start of the season.
Just last winter James was shooting down Golden State’s rumored trade interest and expressing his desire to remain with the purple and gold. Now the league’s all-time leading scorer is “evaluating” his options.