LeBron James opting into his player contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, followed by a statement released by his agent, has fueled trade and buyout rumors for the last week. He wants the best possible chance to compete for a championship, and even though the Lakers now have Luka Doncic, the rest of the roster is discombobulated, at best.

"Dallas, I'm told that they would only be interested in LeBron [James] in a buyout situation," ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported Thursday on ESPN Radio 710 in Los Angeles. In other words, if James were to become a free agent, the Mavericks would be interested.