The Dallas Mavericks have lived through one of the wildest stretches in league history. In just over a year they went from losing the 2024 NBA Finals, to shocking the basketball world by dealing away Luka Doncic, and then landing the top pick in the draft to secure highly touted prospect Cooper Flagg. The rollercoaster has hardly stopped.
Over the summer, whispers surfaced about LeBron James possibly making his way to Dallas. On paper, the idea had intrigue. The Mavericks boasted a roster full of veterans with playoff experience, and James was rumored to be open to the move. But it never got beyond speculation, and according to a former teammate of LeBron, it would have fallen apart even if it had gone further.
Perkins’ Perspective
Kendrick Perkins, now an analyst with ESPN and a former Cavalier who shared the floor with James, believes a reunion in Dallas would have been doomed. His reasoning pointed directly at Kyrie Irving, who already wears a Mavericks jersey.
James and Irving shared both glory and drama in Cleveland. They delivered the 2016 title and reached the Finals three straight years, yet by 2017 their partnership had ended when Irving forced his way out to pursue leadership on his own terms. Perkins said that underlying dynamic still lingers.
“He idolized Kobe so much that he never let Bron be that big brother,” Perkins explained on the Road Trippin’ podcast. “Even when they won, Kyrie never saw Bron in that role. Kobe was the big brother figure to him.”
The Temptation of Dallas
Despite that complicated history, there were reasons for James to be tempted. His long-time Lakers teammate Anthony Davis was shipped to Dallas in the Doncic trade, and the Mavericks had stockpiled accomplished players such as Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, and of course Irving. On paper, it was the kind of roster that could convince a veteran like LeBron to take notice.
But another reality loomed large. At 40 years old, James still plays at a remarkable level, yet every season comes with questions about how much longer he will continue. Teams hesitate to part with valuable assets for a player whose timeline may only stretch a year.
For all the headlines the rumor created, the outcome was likely inevitable. Dallas has its new cornerstone in Flagg, its veteran depth is already in place, and the LeBron-Kyrie partnership remains a story best left in Cleveland’s past.
