Lakers Rumors: 4 Teams Interested in Trading for LeBron James, Says Rich Paul

Nov 25, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) waits for action to resume during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James continues to find himself all over the place as it pertains to news stories and rumors.

When not being disrespected at a Drake concert by the Canadian rapper, James has been the center of constant trade rumors despite no specific words from the player himself to suggest he's unhappy.

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James made an appearance at the Summer League extravaganza in Las Vegas to watch his son (and teammate) Bronny James play. Longtime Lakers analyst Dave McMenamin asked to interview James in the wake of the hubbub surrounding the future Hall of Famer.

With LeBron James at the Lakers game tonight, I asked him if he would like to speak to me about his future with the franchise. “I ain’t got nothing to talk about,” he said. My report for ESPN from Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/sFRgCYHmqw

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 13, 2025

According to McMenamin, James offered the following statement: "I ain't got nothing to talk about."

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This short yet definitive statement could be taken multiple ways. At surface level, James could be saying that the trade rumors and allegations of being disgruntled are utterly ridiculous — and that they aren't even worth discussing.

Or, by not directly addressing the situation at hand, James could be sending a louder message through his minimal response to McMenamin. According to the journalist, “ [Rich] Paul did tell me that four teams contacted him with interest in trading for LeBron.”

The Mavericks, Warriors, Cavaliers and Clippers all contacted Rich Paul about trading for LeBron James, per @ScoopB. pic.twitter.com/dI9gGXhD7A

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 13, 2025

Further adding fuel to the fire was a report from Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson in which the four teams in question included the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The frameworks for possible deals involving these teams actually appear rather clear. Dallas would have to send a handful of players back the other way to match up with salaries. PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, and others have been mentioned as possible fits for LA.

Trading James to the Clippers seems highly unlikely barring James wanting to stay in Los Angeles at all costs. Even then, the Lakers likely would be getting one of Kawhi Leonard or James Harden in addition to other assets. The Warriors most certainly would include Jimmy Butler as the primary piece heading south in order to pair James with Steph Curry.

Lastly, the Cavs would have to lose two of their core players in a deal to bring the hometown hero back to Cleveland. Would that be ultimately worth it for a team that's one of the best in the Eastern Conference as currently constituted?

Until the season actually begins, the rumors around James likely will continue to rage on throughout the summer.

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