LeBron James Longshot Destination Revealed by Rich Paul
Dallas Mavericks fans may be dreaming of a longshot trade for LeBron James, and superagent Rich Paul has revealed why the team is an intriguing option for the NBA legend. Last result: Dallas Mavericks 149-128 Chicago Bulls (2026-04-13). Recent form: 2W-0D-3L (WWLLL, most recent first); on a 2-game winning run.
Why it Matters for Dallas Mavericks
Paul pointed to several reasons why Dallas is an intriguing option for James, but none of them were really about basketball. For example, he mentioned oil and golf, indicating Dallas' status as a global wealth hub, plus the fact that James absolutely loves golfing these days. There are a lot of really nice golf courses in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area, and James would surely love playing on them.
What Comes Next?
Paul also noted Macau and Africa as reasons why James would consider Dallas. Macau refers to the Mavericks being owned by the same people who own the Sands Corporation, the Adelson and Dumont families. The Mavericks are even set to play two preseason games against the Houston Rockets in Macau this fall. Texas does not have legal gambling outside a few Native American casinos, but there is optimism that casinos and sports betting will open up in the state in the next few years, which will bring even more money to the area.
As for Africa, that is a direct reference to new Mavericks president Masai Ujiri, who was hired by the team this offseason to help them rebuild and become a contender once again after former Mavericks President Nico Harrison decimated the franchise with his awful trade sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Ujiri is one of the most respected front-office leaders in the NBA, and he would be another reason why James would consider them.
Truthfully, the Mavericks are a lot further away from title contention than nearly every other team that James has been linked to. But perhaps James wants a challenge. If that's the case, then there would be no greater challenge than James heading to Dallas and trying to turn them back into a respectable franchise after Harrison embarrassed the team and made them the NBA's laughingstock.
Mavericks Roster With LeBron James
If James did join the Mavericks, he would have to take a veteran's minimum salary unless the team was able to execute a sign-and-trade with his former club, the Lakers, to give him more money. But again, James has said his next team won't just be about the money. He really just wants to win a fifth NBA Championship more than anything else. Let's assume that Dallas signs him outright to a minimum salary deal. In that case, the Mavericks' starting five for next season would feature Daniel Gafford at center, P.J. Washington at power forward, James at small forward, Cooper Flagg at shooting guard, and Kyrie Irving at point guard, with a very solid bench featuring players like Max Christie, Dereck Lively Jr., Naji Marshall, Santi Aldama, Caleb Martin, Marcus Sasser, Klay Thompson, and ninth-overall draft pick Morez Johnson Jr. Despite how bad the Mavericks have been in recent years, that actually looks like a good lineup, and that's a team that could make it into the playoffs if they stayed healthy.
