LeBron James is at the center of trade rumors, again.

While James has never been involved in an in-season trade up to this point in his career, a string of frustrating seasons in Los Angeles has led some to believe that could change. As for destinations, Golden State is continuously rumored as a likely landing spot.

“The Warriors have dreamed of pairing LeBron with Steph Curry and Draymond Green since last year,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported as part of a segment on a Dec. 11 episode of “Get Up.”

As it stands, no deal is remotely imminent, but it is fair to expect the rumors to continue until James shuts them down or the February trade deadline approaches. A closer look at the nature of these rumors explains why James has been and will continue to be linked to the Bay Area’s NBA franchise.

LeBron James to Warriors rumors, explained

The first real rumors linking James to the Warriors came in February 2024. After the trade deadline passed, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and now-retired NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski published a report on Golden State’s unsuccessful efforts to land James via trade.

The report says that Warriors owner Joe Lacob made an inquiry to Lakers owner Jeanie Buss about James’ availability. In response, Buss reportedly said LA had “no desire” to trade its franchise player but would check on his “state of mind.”

Months later, as the 2024 offseason wound down, insider Marc Stein reported that trade talks between the Warriors and Lakers were stalled because James’ agent, Rich Paul, opposed them.

The overwhelming belief from each report is that the Lakers would honor James if he expressed a desire to be moved. The lack of movement is consistent with James maintaining that he is happy in Los Angeles.

Despite the head-to-head rivalry that defined a decade of NBA action, James being linked to Golden State makes sense for several reasons.

Teaming up with Stephen Curry

James being traded to the Warriors would finally grant him the opportunity to team up with Curry for an NBA season. After the two joined forces to win Olympic gold in Paris, many became even more curious at what heights that duo could reach even in the twilight of their respective careers.

The Draymond Green effect

James has a great relationship with Warriors forward Draymond Green. They are both represented by Paul, adding a Klutch Sports element to the dealings. As powerful as Paul is, Green has enough influence to convince both parties to change their stance on a trade should things get to that point.

A place for Bronny James

It has been reported that any potential trade for LeBron James would “have to” also include his son, Bronny James. The Warriors were reportedly interested in selecting James during the 2024 NBA Draft before he was selected by the Lakers.

This reported interest suggests Golden State would welcome including Bronny James in a potential trade and he could develop with the franchise’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, Calif., roughly 75 miles south of San Francisco.

With the above factors in mind, it is important to remember that James’ contract has a no-trade clause. The Lakers would almost certainly run any trade by James anyway but he would have to sign off on any deal for it to go through.

Despite the fun prospect of a deal, Windhorst maintains that James’ preference is to remain a Laker while the franchise makes moves to upgrade the roster. If LA is unable to do that, however, these LeBron-to-Golden State rumors could find even more life.

Until then, expect James to remain in purple and gold.