How a LeBron James trade would dismantle the Dallas Mavericks' depth

On Monday, numerous reports awakened a slow news day in the NBA, as Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report revealed that Kyrie Irving is leading a recruitment campaign to bring LeBron James to the Dallas Mavericks.

It is well known that the Los Angeles Lakers are always on the hunt for more star power, and this past season, that equated to Kyrie Irving. However, now the course has been reversed, and Irving has his sights set on bringing James to Texas.

Two questions should blossom from the reports of the Mavericks' potential recruitment of the King to Dallas. What would a potential trade look like, and how would this hypothetical trade reshape the Mavs roster?

As The Smoking Cuban's very own Tyler Watts mentioned in an article, landing James would not be easy, as the Mavericks are light on tradable assets. But it can be done if James feels a change of scenery is necessary.

Tim Hardaway Jr. would almost certainly be a part of a trade to provide some salary relief and a useful role player. The same goes for Davis Bertans. Young players like Jaden Hardy and Josh Green would also be necessary, as they are some of the only valuable assets the Maveircks have on their roster.
Maxi Kleber is a plug-and-play forward who can man the middle and shoot from the outside and another player who many teams would love to employ.

Finally, draft picks. The Mavs own the 10th overall pick in the year's draft, a valuable asset. Sending over another first-round pick, such as their 2027 first-rounder, would likely be required, too.

But what would the Mavericks' bench look like with James in the fold?

What would the rest of the Dallas Mavericks' roster look like if they traded for LeBron James?

The backcourt would be set, as it's clear Irving would remain a Maverick if James comes on board. Unsurprisingly, Luka Doncic would fill the other backcourt spot.

The forward spots would most likely be occupied by holdover Reggie Bullock and newly-acquired James. Bullock would be immensely valuable in this lineup as a low-usage, spot-up shooter.

The biggest question mark would be the center position. JaVale McGee is still under contract and in prime position to start the 2023-24 season after starting this past year. But McGee's playing time waned over the course of this past season, as the Mavericks were significantly better with him off the court.

Housing Irving, James, and Doncic would put the Mavericks over the salary cap, meaning their options in free agency would be very limited.

Due to cap restraints, the Mavericks would be tasked with signing a player using the minimum exception or the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (NTMLE), which would be around $12 million.

The Mavericks' depth would be stretched thin if they acquired James. (Think of the Phoenix Suns after they traded for Kevin Durant). Dallas would have to precisely navigate free agency, as the only other potential holdovers from a James deal would be Bertans and Kleber. (And even they may be part of the potential trade.)

Using the NTMLE on a player like Jakob Poetl could be plausible, but he will almost certainly command more than $12 million on the open market. Big man Naz Reid may be more likely depending on what sort of offers he garners this summer.

Also, look for players like Max Strus or Jalen McDaniels, who would make sense on a top-heavy team like these hypothetical Mavericks.

The rest of the roster would be filled with minimum-salary players, and the Mavericks would most likely be comprised of players on their last leg. Potential examples of these players are Reggie Jackson, Jae Crowder, Taj Gibson, and Robin Lopez.

Adding James to the core of Doncic and Irving would be sensational, but the depth behind the three stars would be less than appealing.