4 Mavericks players the Lakers have to demand in any LeBron trade

Kyrie Irving’s connection to LeBron James is not a secret. Even after he left LeBron in Cleveland to do his own thing (which certainly has been a mixed bag for the mercurial point guard), the possibility of Irving one day reuniting with James for another run at a title has been a frequently discussed topic.

That has certainly been the case heading into this offseason, with innumerable talk show segments devoted to the process the Los Angeles Lakers would have to undergo to make room to sign Irving. The alternative was never considered, though: that LeBron could join Kyrie and Luka Doncic in Dallas.

Yet, that is, in fact, what Shams Charania reported on Monday. Kyrie has reportedly reached out to LeBron in the hopes of convincing him to demand a trade to the Dallas Mavericks. That wild, out-of-nowhere idea is what the Lakers, Mavericks and countless others are trying to wrap their minds around.

The Lakers first have to decide their next steps

If the Lakers are going to trade LeBron, they must first decide their path forward. To simplify a complicated conversation, it almost certainly doesn’t make sense to try and contend with an injury-prone Anthony Davis and no other stars around him (all due respect to Austin Reaves).

In that case, trading LeBron James likely means finding a trade for Anthony Davis and rebuilding, even if it’s just a short-term retool. That means the Lakers need to prioritize young players who can join with Reaves on the next great Lakers team, and veterans who can be flipped for value to other teams.

In other words, if LeBron demands a trade to Dallas, the Lakers will have some demands of their own. And here’s — at the very least — what the Mavs would have to surrender.