While they lose key players, the Mavs still have four former No. 1 picks, a rim-running center in Dereck Lively II, another guard in D'Angelo Russell and key wings in Naji Marshall and Max Christie. That's a championship roster.

One rival NBA scout can’t take it anymore. “Please stop this silliness. There is zero percent chance the Los Angeles Lakers trade LeBron James, even if he demanded it,” the scout told Hoops Wire.

That means don’t count on a LeBron James trade lighting up the skies of New York. When James opted into his $52 million player option last week, his agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN, “LeBron wants to compete for a championship.