Lakers star LeBron James had interest in reuniting with Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving
There was speculation that James could request a trade or buyout to land in his preferred destination as there was limited cap space around the league this summer. He appears set to begin the season in Los Angeles, which would mark his longest consecutive tenure with one franchise.
Despite the four-time MVP remaining with the Lakers, John Hollinger of The Athletic reported that he showed interest in joining Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving -- two of his former teammates that he won a championship with -- on the Dallas Mavericks.
"While he opted in to the final year of his contract and does not appear to be an imminent trade candidate, as our Joe Vardon and Dan Woike reported here, that doesn't necessarily mean returning to the Los Angeles Lakers on a one-year deal was at the top of his wish list," The Athletic's John Hollinger wrote Monday. "In particular, the whispers about him having eyes for Dallas — a place where he could have teamed up with former teammates Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving and young phenom Cooper Flagg — before opting into his deal were hard to ignore."
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"Obviously, James wasn't willing to leave $52 million on the table to take a nontaxpayer MLE or something similar from the Mavericks or another team," Hollinger continued. "A buyout seems similarly unlikely. Additionally, the tax aprons on both sides will make any in-season transaction with a contender-class team challenging."
James found himself the subject of trade proposals and buyout rumors for the first time in his illustrious career, which is set to enter an NBA record 23rd season. While he appeared to have some interest in joining the Mavericks, the move seemed unlikely from the moment that he picked up his player option.
Instead, the superstar will return to the Lakers, who have made several additions as they look to build the roster around him and Luka Dončić. Los Angeles has added Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart during the offseason -- and appear motivated to continue adding talent.
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