A new twist has emerged in the LeBron James-Kyrie Irving reunion plot, as league sources have told Bleacher Report Irving wants the Dallas Mavericks to explore trading for LeBron James this offseason to create a Big 3 alongside himself and Luka Doncic.

At this point, it's no secret Irving and James are open to a reunion from their days playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron has made it clear as recently as February's trade deadline that he'd be open to playing alongside his former teammate.

The Mavericks were preparing to make an offer for James last season when the Lakers were spiraling, sources say, despite James being ineligible for a trade last season due to the date of his extension. But the Lakers made a string of trades near the deadline that changed the trajectory of their season.

But any chance of forming a James-Irving-Doncic Big 3 under the NBA's strict new Collective Bargaining Agreement will be difficult. The new CBA resembles a hard cap, making it very difficult to have three max players on a roster.

In order for Irving and James to partner with Doncic, the two would have to take a sizable pay cut.

The easiest—and unlikeliest—path to adding James this offseason would be for him to orchestrate a buyout.

James, 38, has one year of $46.9 million remaining on his contract and also holds a $50.6 million player option for the 2024-25 season. The four-time MVP is expected to return for his 21st season.

James and Doncic have a good relationship that continues to grow. At the start of Doncic's rookie season in 2018, he revealed that James was his favorite player growing up.

"I always looked at him as my idol," he said.

Irving is an unrestricted free agent after the Mavericks acquired the eight-time All-Star via a trade from the Brooklyn Nets in February.

Irving is the Mavericks' No. 1 offseason priority, sources say.

After being eliminated in the second round by the Denver Nuggets, James informed B/R that he's considering retirement and is unsure if he will be with the team at the start of the 2023-24 season.

Irving signing with the Lakers would seem unlikely as the Mavericks can pay the 31-year-old more than any other team.

A James trade to Dallas would first require a trade request. James has a great relationship with head coach Jason Kidd and assistant coach Jared Dudley.

Assuming a $134 million salary cap, Irving would be eligible to re-sign with the Mavericks this summer for a five-year, $272 million contract, per B/R's Eric Pincus.

There are hurdles the Mavericks would need to clear in order to swing a blockbuster trade for LeBron James, who has established himself and his family in Los Angeles since his arrival in 2018.

Irving shared on the I Am Athlete podcast last year that he has some regrets about how he abruptly left James and the Cavaliers in 2017. "If I was in the same maturity line and understanding of who I am, and I look back, we definitely, definitely would've won more championships, because there would've been a better man-to-man understanding about what I'm going through," he said.

"I didn't know how to share my emotions. I didn't know how to do that. So instead of sharing, I isolated myself."

NBA free agency begins on June 30.