By Sunday 
LeBron James isn’t done just yet.
At 40 years old, most NBA players would be hanging up their sneakers and booking tee times. But LeBron? He’s still eyeing one more championship run before calling it a career. The only question left is where that run will take place.
Still a Laker—for Now
LeBron recently exercised his $52.6 million player option for the 2025 season, keeping him (technically) a Los Angeles Laker. But let’s not get too comfortable with that idea. That contract option doesn’t mean he’ll stay in L.A.—just that the team controls his rights unless they trade him or agree to a buyout.
And with LeBron’s agent Rich Paul confirming that he and James are “evaluating what’s best for LeBron at this stage,” it’s clear they’re watching this offseason like hawks.
“He wants to make every season he has left count,” said Paul. “And the Lakers understand that.”
Dallas Rising
So who’s the frontrunner if King James does hit the market?
According to DraftKings, the Dallas Mavericks are the most likely non-Lakers destination. And that isn’t just a random Vegas oddsmaker tossing darts. There’s actual logic to this.
Dallas has Luka Dončić, one of the top five players in the league. Pairing LeBron’s championship pedigree with Luka’s generational talent? That’s a playoff nightmare for every other team. Add in recent rumors that the Mavs are actively interested, and suddenly the “LeBron-to-Dallas” buzz doesn’t seem so far-fetched.
Other Suitors Lurking
Dallas isn’t the only team making calls. According to insiders, the Cavaliers, Warriors, and Clippers have all expressed interest. But not all of them want to trade for him.
The Cavs, for example, would reportedly only take LeBron back in a buyout situation. That might be poetic, sure—LeBron finishing where it all started—but it doesn’t seem like the strongest fit right now.
The Warriors and Clippers are interesting wildcards. The idea of LeBron playing alongside Steph Curry is straight out of a 2K fantasy lineup, but it’s not something to totally rule out in this league where anything can happen.
The Bigger Picture
Still, the most likely scenario remains the status quo: LeBron stays with the Lakers, teams up with Luka Dončić, ahem—I mean Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and new additions like Deandre Ayton—and sees how far they can go in the stacked Western Conference.
But one thing is certain: if the Lakers stumble early in the season, the trade talk will ignite. Fast.
Final Thought
So will LeBron be traded? Probably not… yet. But the pressure is building. The Lakers’ margin for error is razor thin. And if LeBron thinks there’s a better shot at Ring #5 elsewhere, don’t be surprised if the King chooses a new kingdom.