<\/p>\n
If there\u2019s one thing we know about the Golden State Warriors in the 15 years that Joe Lacob has owned the team, it\u2019s that they love to make a splash. Since signing Kevin Durant in a bold, chest-puffing manner, the Dubs have been relentless in their pursuit of splashy, franchise-altering moves.<\/p>\n
When the time came for Durant to leave, the Warriors absorbed a pricy D\u2019Angelo Russell contract to maintain a max-level salary spot that could potentially be traded for a star. After detouring through Andrew Wiggins, that salary spot finally landed on Jimmy Butler III in February. But before that deal was finalized, the Warriors had a trade set up to re-acquire Durant, which only fell through when the team realized how passionately the future Hall of Famer felt about not <\/em>reuniting with his former team. A year prior, they made a call to the Los Angeles Lakers, inquiring about LeBron James\u2019 availability, then tried again this year. They pushed hard for Paul George last offseason. They\u2019ve been linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo too many times to remember, seemingly waiting for the other shoe to drop in Milwaukee so that they can swoop in.<\/p>\n The Warriors are big game hunting. They\u2019re openly big game hunting. And they\u2019re not going to stop.<\/p>\n Which means we need to talk about LeBron again.<\/p>\n It\u2019s still unlikely that James ever suits up for the home team at Chase Center, but it\u2019s less unlikely today than at perhaps any other point. James\u2019 future with the Lakers suddenly appears in at least a modicum of doubt. He picked up his player option for the upcoming season \u2014 an obvious move, given the financial element \u2014 but otherwise appears to be stalling out.<\/p>\n ESPN\u2019s Brian Windhorst, who has covered James\u2019 career more closely than any other reporter, said recently that the four-time MVP\u2019s time with the Lakers \u201cis beginning to come to an end,\u201d and that sides are \u201cbeginning to move apart.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Lakers and LeBron did not have substantive discussions about extending his contract, which every team LeBron\u2019s been on for 20-something years has wanted to have substantive conversations about,\u201d Windhorst said on ESPN\u2019s First Take<\/em>, while also admitting that James staying put is the most likely scenario. \u201cAnd what happens to expiring contracts in the NBA? They\u2019re viewed as trade pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n “My conversations over the last 3 days have crystallized that the Lakers are essentially viewing LeBron as an expiring contract… I’m just unlocking the door because I am not as convinced as before if it’s impossibility.”<\/p>\n – Brian Windhorst pic.twitter.com\/e2hlUuaXBf<\/p>\n<\/div>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/ClutchPoints\/status\/1940422242686668942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1940422242686668942%7Ctwgr%5E3c0747ca5d2d7d4f4cf240c8ca28e964984511a0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goldenstateofmind.com%2F2025%2F7%2F3%2F24461256%2Fwarriors-lakers-lebron-james-trade-rumors-report-draymond-green-steph-curry-steve-kerr<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Other reports have said similar things; hell, James\u2019 team \u2014 his circle, not the Lakers \u2014 has said similar things. When James picked up his option earlier this offseason, his agent Rich Paul told The Athletic that \u201cLeBron knows the Lakers are building for the future, and he also wants to compete for championships. We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what\u2019s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career.\u201d<\/p>\n James essentially controls his future. He has the sway \u2014 and the trade value \u2014 to force his way out of Los Angeles should he choose to. And as one of just two players in the NBA with a full no-trade clause, he can essentially pick his next home, if it comes to that.<\/p>\n We know the Warriors want to make a splash. We know the Warriors have tried to acquire James in the past. So could it actually happen this time? Let\u2019s examine the three questions that \u2014 along with whether or not James decides that his future isn\u2019t in the purple and gold \u2014 will determine whether LeBron actually has a chance at ending up in the Bay.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a nearly impossible question to answer, but there are plenty of signs pointing towards \u201cyes.\u201d James has spoken openly and frequently about his respect and adoration for Steph Curry, and is overtly giddy every time he gets to share the court with him, whether as an opponent, an All-Star teammate, or an Olympics co-star. He\u2019s close friends with Draymond Green, with the two sharing an agent, sharing a tequila company, and even vacationing together. And he\u2019s spoken at length about his respect for both Steve Kerr and the system that the Warriors run; plus, he\u2019s experienced playing for Kerr in the Olympics, and seemed to enjoy it.<\/p>\n And then, of course, there\u2019s the most important part: he\u2019d be on a contender if he joined the Warriors. If James is to leave the Lakers, it\u2019s because he\u2019s in search of a team prioritizing winning this year over sustained winning down the road, and if that doesn\u2019t describe the Dubs, I don\u2019t know what does.<\/p>\n But there are reasons to be skeptical about whether James would actually consider the Warriors. The primary reason is that this is Curry\u2019s team, and nothing is going to change that. LeBron is at an age and stage of his career where he knows that he may not be the best player on a championship team anymore \u2014 something he essentially admitted when passing the torch to Anthony Davis and saying the Lakers were his team.<\/p>\n Yet you can fill that role while still being the most popular player on the team. If James were to follow Davis to Dallas, where he\u2019d also reunite with former championship teammate Kyrie Irving, while joining rookie phenom Cooper Flagg, he\u2019d create a championship contender in which he was the biggest name. If he returned home to Cleveland for a third stint, he\u2019d compete for a ring while being the face of the franchise, even if he\u2019s not the most important player.<\/p>\n He can\u2019t have that in Golden State. Is he ready to not be introduced last? Is he ready to not get the loudest ovation from the home crowd? Is he ready to be Curry\u2019s teammate on Curry\u2019s team, and not just a co-star deferring on equal footing? Only he can answer that question.<\/p>\n Yes. A million times yes. Easiest yes imaginable.<\/p>\n James is arguably the most intelligent player in the NBA \u2014 arguably the most intelligent player the game has ever seen \u2014 and that always works with a Kerr system. His combination of size, length, and athleticism, mixed with his passing ability, would allow Kerr to build a plethora of different lineups and rotations. His playmaking would let Curry play off-ball, and his willingness to pass would make sure that Curry stays well-fed. He\u2019s not a great defender anymore, but he\u2019s a smart and at-times active one who could fill multiple defensive roles for the Dubs. And his relationship with Curry and Green would ensure that there\u2019s no awkward star drama. Plus, he\u2019s shot 39.3% from three-point range over the last two seasons.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to built a player better suited to the Warriors\u2019 systems, especially at this stage in Curry\u2019s career.<\/p>\n After reading the last two sections, you might think this one is a slam dunk \u201cyes\u201d but … I\u2019m not so sure. So let\u2019s start with the latter half of the question: the cost.<\/p>\n Any James trade would almost certainly be centered around a swap with Jimmy Butler III; in fact, LeBron and his son Bronny James have a combined salary that\u2019s less than $500,000 off of what Butler\u2019s salary is, so the finances work fairly seamlessly. The Dubs could also, in theory, build a package around Green, but not only is that far more difficult, I\u2019d assume that part of the allure of Golden State for picking Golden State would be Draymond. So let\u2019s assume that Butler is the choice.<\/p>\n If I had to guess, a potential trade would be Butler and a pair of first-round picks for the James family duo.<\/p>\n Setting aside the first-round picks \u2014 which are becoming more and more important as we near the end of Curry\u2019s career \u2014 it\u2019s fair to question whether the Warriors would even want to swap Butler for James. The Dubs saw firsthand last year just how seamless the fit with Butler was. It worked brilliantly on the court and beautifully off it. He may not be as good of a player as James, but the defensive excellence and gritty mentality were just what the doctor ordered for Golden State.<\/p>\n He\u2019s also under contract for two more years, while James seems to be taking life one year at a time as he ponders an eventual retirement.<\/p>\n Ultimately, the continuity may win out. With Butler, the Warriors have a chance to build on a proven model: they went 24-8 after Butler debuted, and, before Curry got injured, looked likely to cruise into the Western Conference Finals. This is their chance to add, rather than to restructure. That might be what matters most.<\/p>\n But then again, Lacob\u2019s big game hunting hat might be the deciding factor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Will it happen? Probably not. But it\u2019s worth talking about.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":76040,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-76039","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n
\nWould he want to play for the Warriors? <\/strong><\/h3>\n
Would he fit on the Warriors?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Would the Warriors actually want him, at the price that he\u2019ll cost? <\/strong><\/h3>\n