All it takes is one cannon event to flip the NBA on its head—and Luka Doncic’s trade did just that. It didn’t send the whole league into a spin, but the fact it’s still dominating headlines five and a half months later? That says everything. Dallas fans let Nico Harrison have it, and honestly, he kind of asked for it. Cooper Flagg’s arrival calmed things down a little. But if LeBron James ends up suiting up in Mavs blue?

Oh boy. The rage might hit new highs—not because he’s LeBron, but because of the ridiculous cost it might take to get him. Nico might just be Thanos if he gets James in. Not for getting the King, but ’cause it might just cost him everything. The salary is way too much for a team below the first but under the second apron. Nico might be bent out of shape justifying the Doncic trade, but no way he is getting out of this one in one piece. He allegedly has to cough out an easy 4-5 players to get in the 40-year-old. Would you bite? Thought so.

“He’s going to take his $54 million, whatever it is. And why the Lakers buy him out too? Like what’s the game for them? And for Dallas. Trade for a contract like that just like the KD conversation we had they’re gonna have to include like four or five players – Klay PJ and all this stufff. That’s where you know, obviously I’m not for it for free. But obviously not even more not for it to for a trade like that because I think in an NBA we just seen how important depth is,” said Isaac Harris on Locked On Mavericks.

The Rockets could swing a Kevin Durant deal with that kind of math. The Mavericks? Not a chance. The only way LeBron lands in Dallas is if Cooper Flagg goes the other way—and let’s be real, that’s never happening. You don’t trade your future for a fading present, even if that present is wearing a crown.

So what’s next for LeBron James if not a ride to Dallas? That $52.6 million extension might’ve been a player option on paper, but let’s be honest—it’s looking more like the biggest stalking horse in recent NBA memory. Lakers are not asking for fireworks, just some clarity. But instead of peace of mind, they’re getting cryptic breadcrumbs. There is movement behind the scenes—just not the kind fans want to see.

LeBron James shows no signs of a trade request

This off-season’s been the LeBron Show—front and center. Giannis? Beal? They’ll have to take a number. When the King’s future hangs in the balance, the whole league hits pause. The rumor mill’s been spinning like a Vegas slot machine—linking Bron to every team short of the Harlem Globetrotters. But finally, we might be inching toward something real. A whisper here, a subtle move there—it’s starting to feel like the endgame’s in sight.

There’s only two ways a guy parts ways with his franchise: a trade or a buyout. And guess what? The Lakers got hit with neither. That silence? It’s golden. No requests, no cryptic posts, no backdoor moves. So maybe, just maybe, the King sticking around in Showtime isn’t wishful thinking—it’s the realest possibility on the board right now.

“LeBron James is expected to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers for training camp despite widespread speculation about his future, according to league sources who spoke with The Athletic. The Lakers have received no indication from James or his representatives about requesting a trade or buyout from his $52.6 million contract,” wrote Dan Woike.

No one’s jumping at the idea of landing LeBron James—not even for a shot at short-term glory. The Mavericks? Yeah, they’re out. They’ve already found their Luka replacement in Cooper Flagg and aren’t looking back. Tossing the kitchen sink at the Lakers now? That’d be Nico Harrison’s second-worst move, right behind the trade that still has Dallas fans tossing and turning at night.