DALLAS - We are under no grand illusions here. But maybe the media is. Or, heck, maybe it's the Dallas Mavericks themselves who are.
After LeBron James opted into the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, speculation immediately began to run rampant regarding whether or not he would ask for a trade.
And fans of the Dallas Mavs - and DallasBasketball.com - want to get in on the fun.
Building a mock trade to get James to Dallas? It's doable... but wildly unlikely.
And why?
As Mavericks insider Tim MacMahon has pointed out, it's mostly a "trade machine'' idea. And he's added, it "doesn't make sense" for the Lakers star to roll with it.
An essence of the problem is about how Dallas would have to strip down its roster to make a match.
That doesn't necessarily mean that the door is completely closed on bringing James to Dallas, although the Lakers would have to commit massive sums of money for very little return.
"Dallas, I'm told that they would only be interested in LeBron in a buyout situation," reported ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
Do the Lakers wish to part with James? Surely not. He is still an All-NBA level player and one of the most valuable athletes in the world in terms of marketing, and yes, in terms of winning, too.
There is this: Agent Rich Paul, said that the 40-year-old LeBron "wants to compete for a championship" and "values a realistic chance of winning it all."
Is that a warning shot fired at the Lakers? Does L.A. have that realistic chance?
Per "insider'' Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson, four franchises seem to want to explore these questions and have contacted James' agent about potentially trading for the four-time MVP.
The list? The Cleveland Cavaliers, LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors - and, the report claims, the Dallas Mavericks.
Our view? Even as L.A. builds around Luka Doncic, it's more likely for James to walk in free agency next summer - or to just retire - than for the Lakers to willingly give up the face of the NBA ... because in the end, L.A.'s chance of winning with LeBron is better than Dallas' chance of acquiring him.
But just in case? We suppose it can't hurt to call.