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.

Mavericks insider Tim MacMahon, however, doesn't see a James trade to the Mavs happening at all despite what the rumors say. According to the ESPN reporter, it "doesn't make sense" for the Lakers star or the Mavs to pull off a trade.

The tone of Sunday's messaging was such that it’s fair to wonder how the LeBron-Lakers partnership will go from here.