A complex trade involving three NBA teams could potentially send Drew Timme to the Brooklyn Nets and reunite LeBron James with former teammates in Dallas. This proposed deal, suggested in June 2024, aims to reshape the rosters of the Nets, Lakers, and Mavericks, with Brooklyn playing a key role in facilitating the movement of players and contracts.

Brooklyn Nets’ Role in the Trade Scenario

The Brooklyn Nets have openly sought opportunities to engage in trades that involve absorbing large salary commitments in exchange for draft picks during the summer. Despite early speculation that Brooklyn would be involved in any trade surrounding Kevin Durant, no such deal took place. Instead, the Nets made smaller moves, acquiring Terance Mann and the 22nd pick in the 2025 draft, identified as Drake Powell, while flipping Cam Johnson for Michael Porter Jr. and a distant 2032 unprotected first-round pick from the Denver Nuggets. These swaps were practical but didn’t capture widespread attention.

Trade Proposal Suggests Mavericks Acquire LeBron James and Drew Timme

Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus devised an intriguing trade blueprint that could shake up the NBA by involving 13 players across three teams. In the proposal, the Dallas Mavericks would receive LeBron James from the Los Angeles Lakers, along with Bronny James, Drew Timme, Tyrese Martin from the Nets, and certain trade exceptions linked to Dwight Powell and Olivier-Maxence Prosper. This move would reunite LeBron with former teammates Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, fostering mentorship opportunities with young talents such as Cooper Flagg.

Assets Moving to the Lakers and Nets in the Proposed Arrangement

According to the proposed deal, the Lakers would acquire players Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, Naji Marshall, Caleb Martin, and Jaden Hardy from Dallas. Additionally, they would receive two second-round picks from the Nets, scheduled for 2030 and 2031, and benefit from a $24.1 million trade exception related to LeBron James. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets would bolster their roster with Dalton Knecht and Maxi Kleber from the Lakers, plus Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Dwight Powell from the Mavericks, though their forward positions are already heavily stocked.

Feasibility and Potential Impact of the Three-Team Deal

While the concept of a 13-player trade spanning three teams might seem unrealistic, Pincus’s model is financially viable under NBA trade rules. Although players like Dalton Knecht and Olivier-Maxence Prosper would be valuable additions for Brooklyn, the Nets’ current coach Jordi Fernandez apparently favors talents such as Timme and Martin, making an exact deal in this format unlikely. Nonetheless, the proposal highlights the Nets’ willingness to engage in significant transactions and the ongoing uncertainty about LeBron James’s future in Los Angeles amid his pursuit of another championship ring.

“Yes, this is wild, weird and wacky. Would a three-team deal ever go down in which 13 separate players get dealt? Absolutely not, but it is still impressive that Pincus managed to put together a trade that’s this complicated yet would still work financially.” —Eric Pincusput, Bleacher Report Writer

As the NBA offseason unfolds, fans and analysts will closely monitor whether LeBron James remains with the Lakers or moves to another franchise in his quest to extend his legacy. For now, the proposed Drew Timme Nets LeBron trade remains a speculative but fascinating possibility that could dramatically change team dynamics heading into next season.