What happened: League sources tell ESPN's Vince Goodwill that LeBron James has been angling for former teammate Kyrie Irving to join him in Cleveland, but the Mavericks have shown no interest in engaging the Cavaliers on a trade. Irving is believed to be comfortable in his current situation in Dallas.

Why it matters: The rebuff keeps James's free agency decision unresolved, since he has reportedly been waiting to see whether Irving or Anthony Davis becomes available before committing to a team. Dallas's stance matches its position from a day earlier, when it rejected trade inquiries on Irving with plans to pair him with Cooper Flagg after his ACL rehab.

What to watch: Watch whether James moves off his wait-and-see approach now that Dallas has closed the door on an Irving trade to Cleveland.