LeBron James’ free agency briefly sparked a wild idea: a reunion with Kyrie Irving, maybe even with Anthony Davis in the mix, if the right trade could be pulled off. But the more the rumor mill churned, the clearer it became that the blockbuster path never really had legs.
A report had suggested James was holding off on announcing his next destination so interested teams could explore a deal for Irving or Davis. That turned out not to be the case, because James ultimately chose the City of Brotherly Love without being joined by either player.
The Mavericks were floated as part of one version of the scenario, but that never got off the ground. One rumor had James and Irving heading back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where the two once won a championship together. Even that idea, though, never moved beyond speculation.
According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, there were no real talks between the Mavericks and Cavaliers about a swap that would have sent Irving to Cleveland and brought James Harden to Dallas.
"Keeping Harden and agreeing to a new contract has been the plan for the Cavs since he opted out of his contract to help the team," Siegel wrote.
That wasn’t the only reason the deal never came together. Irving also had no interest in leaving Dallas.
"League sources said James had been angling for former teammate Irving to join him in Cleveland, but the Dallas Mavericks have had no interest in engaging the Cavaliers in a trade, and Irving is believed to be comfortable where he is," ESPN's Vincent Goodwill wrote the day of James' decision.
So the picture is pretty simple. There was no contact between Masai Ujiri and Kolby Altman on an Irving-Harden swap.
James made his choice without Irving or Davis alongside him. Cleveland wanted to keep Harden and extend him.
And Irving, at least for now, looks content to see how Dallas’ new pieces and management fit together before making any move.
In Other News...
Warriors May Have One Last Offseason Fix For Stephs Shrinking Window
Any offseason conversation around the Warriors and Mavericks has to start with fit, and this one is no different. The proposal on the table is built around Golden State trying to squeeze one more meaningful run out of Stephen Currys prime while Dallas would be asked to weigh whether its current frontcourt mix still makes sense against the rest of the roster and the contracts attached to it.
What makes the idea interesting from a Mavericks standpoint is that it is not just about adding a star, but about deciding which pieces are truly redundant and which ones remain essential. The framework suggests Dallas could be looking at a reshaped rotation rather than a simple talent swap, with the real question being whether the team is ready to move on from some of its current size and flexibility in exchange for a different kind of top-end punch. [Read more 🡒]
Zaza Put Dirk In Rare Company With His Best Leaders Ever
Zaza Pachulia has been around enough winning rooms to know the difference between a good voice and a great one, and the former Mavericks big man recently put Dirk Nowitzki in a pretty exclusive conversation. Now a consultant for the Golden State Warriors, Pachulia reflected on three of the most influential leaders he has played for or around, pointing to Steph Curry, Nowitzki and Jason Kidd as examples of how leadership can look very different while still driving the same thing: trust.
Pachulia described Curry as someone who leads with care for people, Nowitzki as a veteran whose humor never got in the way of his focus, and Kidd as a coach who brought structure and taught players to think ahead on the floor. For Dallas fans, it is another reminder that Nowitzkis impact went well beyond scoring and longevity, and that his presence still sits comfortably alongside some of the sharpest basketball minds Pachulia has seen. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Is Still Ignoring The Biggest Reason Mavericks Fans Believe
The Mavericks spent the offseason making real changes around the edges and at the top, adding Morez Johnson Jr., Sergio De Larrea and Tobi Lawal in the draft while also bringing in Marcus Sasser, Santi Aldama, Zaccharie Risacher and Tarik Biberovic via trade. Dallas also turned to Dusty May as its new head coach, a move that signaled a fresh start after a season that left plenty of questions about where the roster was headed.
Even with that turnover, ESPN still slotted Dallas at No. 23 in its post-offseason power rankings, a clear sign the national view has not caught up to the optimism inside the fan base. The bigger argument around the Mavericks is whether the new pieces and coaching change are enough to push them back into the playoff conversation, and whether the people projecting the standings are still underestimating how much the roster can change once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]