Mavericks must avoid tempting 'dream' trade for LeBron James at all costs

Everybody throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area has embraced that the future of the Dallas Mavericks will be led by Cooper Flagg. Already, the Flagg buzz has been huge with the fans yelling "Flagg" during the U.S. National Anthem and erupting with cheers when his name is announced in the starting five introductions.

However, the Mavericks are off to a slower start to the season. Even though the Mavericks have been able to stack a couple of wins, it's clear that not having Kyrie Irving to play with Anthony Davis and Flagg is hurting the team. It also doesn't help that Davis got injured on Wednesday night.

Bleacher Report is already at it with making "dream" trade targets for NBA teams early into the season. However, the target that they listed for the Mavericks isn't a dream by any means. It would be a nightmare.

Mavericks don't need to waste their time trading for LeBron James

Recently, Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey wrote an article titled "Dream and Realistic Trade Targets for Every NBA Team During 2025-26 NBA Season." Bailey named Kyle Anderson of the Utah Jazz as a realistic target. Bailey wrote earlier how the Mavericks should target a trade for Anderson, but his dream trade target for the Mavericks is a definite no that Nico Harrison must avoid this season.

That dream target is arguably the greatest player of all-time, LeBron James.

"The idea of LeBron James joining former teammates Kyrie and Anthony Davis in Dallas surfaced more than once this past Summer," Bailey said. "And while Dallas would have to stack up a lot of contracts to make a deal, a 'Last Dance' style run for those three would be fun. And high-level playoff experience for Cooper Flagg could serve him well in the future."

There's no denying that James' NBA legend status is undeniable, and teams across the league could try to trade for him if the Los Angeles Lakers made him available. From winning four NBA titles and MVPs, to having the all-time scoring record and so much more, James has quite the resume for teams to pursue him and allow him to play some of the final basketball of his career in a new city.

However, trading for the great James is a move that the Mavericks need to avoid as they kick off the Flagg era.

At 41 years old, James' body is starting to wear him down. James isn't playing for the Lakers at the moment. With the injuries catching up to him, James may not have many years left in the NBA.

Along with injuries, the asking price for James would be very high. James can make the Mavericks a contending team, but the players the Mavericks would have to give up may be too important to the roster.

Some of those players that Dallas would likely have to cough up include young rising stars like Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and P.J. Washington. Those three are far too important to Dallas' defense, and are much younger than James.

Along with injuries and trade value being high, James is in the final year of his contract. Trading for a player who can have high value for one season with no guarantee of another is something to avoid as the Mavericks build for the future.

Because of his success playing with Davis and Irving, James may want to go out with them for one final push for a championship. All three have never played together on the same team in the NBA, hence why a "last dance" could make sense, but Flagg is the future of Dallas, and they don't need to blow up the roster in his first season.

Expectations of Flagg are through the roof, and he is off to a solid start to his NBA career. James being traded to Dallas would delay Flagg's future to be the Mavericks' franchise player, and it would likely turn into a disaster due to James' age, injuries, and contract.

James signing with Dallas in free agency after the 2025-26 season ends is a whole different story, but a trade would be a disastrous move that destroys all of the depth that they have built.