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.

ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin has now reported that the Mavericks would only be interested in James if he were bought out by Los Angeles. "Dallas—I'm told—they would only be interested in LeBron [James] in a buyout situation," McMenamin said.

Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis are both on the Dallas Mavericks, and as LeBron James trade speculation continues to swarm, a reunion in the Lone Star State could be plausible. Fred Katz of the Athletic took a look at how this could happen, starting with the aforementioned relationships.