The idea once felt impossible, but the possibility of LeBron James linking up with the Golden State Warriors is now being treated with increasing seriousness across the NBA.
Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
LeBron James and the Warriors have spent years on opposite sides of basketball’s biggest battles, yet fresh reporting suggests that rivalry could soon shift into partnership, with Golden State exploring a blockbuster deal to bring him to the Bay Area alongside Stephen Curry.
The speculation has intensified following Draymond Green’s decision to decline his $27.7 million player option, a move widely seen as giving the Warriors greater financial flexibility heading into a pivotal off-season. As ESPN’s Shams Charania reported, “this move gives the Warriors flexibility to pursue LeBron James in free agency and Anthony Davis via trade to form a Big 4 alongside Curry.”
According to multiple reports, Golden State are not limiting their ambition to James alone. The franchise is also weighing up a move for Anthony Davis, currently with the Washington Wizards, in what would amount to a full-scale veteran reset aimed at one final championship push around Curry.
There is also growing scepticism around the league about how realistic the Warriors’ pursuit of LeBron and Davis actually is, with some believing the noise could be more about leverage than a genuine push to unite the stars in Golden State.
As ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explained on The Rich Eisen Show, rival executives are not entirely convinced the storyline points toward a superteam in San Francisco.
“The people in the league that I’m talking to today are giving me the side-eye, and they’re going, ‘This is going to end up with Draymond Green getting a new contract in Golden State, LeBron getting a new contract in Los Angeles, and Anthony Davis getting a new contract in Washington,’” Windhorst said.
He added that the chatter could simply be part of a wider negotiation strategy rather than a concrete relocation plan.
“I’m not saying I know, but part of this could be creating leverage for AD and LeBron in both Washington and L.A. And then everybody gets paid on a contract. Or they could all end up in Golden State. I’m not sure which it’s going to be.”
The concept is straightforward in theory, if far more complicated in practice. Land Davis first, then use that move as part of a broader pitch to James to join Curry in San Francisco and chase another title run alongside familiar faces.
There is also belief around the league that Davis and James’ previous success together with the Lakers, including an NBA championship, could help smooth that path if Golden State can make the first move happen.
Golden State’s motivation is clear. With Curry still firmly in his prime window, the franchise remains focused on maximising whatever championship opportunities remain, even if that means chasing one of the most star-heavy line-ups imaginable.
James is now an unrestricted free agent, and reports suggest contract talks with the Los Angeles Lakers have not progressed as smoothly as expected, opening the door for rival contenders to test the market.
Still, the financial and roster challenges are significant. Any deal for Davis would require major salary matching and draft capital, while adding James would likely require a heavily reduced contract to fit within the Warriors’ cap structure. Names such as Jimmy Butler have even been floated in wider league discussions as potential trade pieces to make the maths work.
LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks to Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
For now, the scenario remains firmly speculative. But the fact it is being discussed at all underlines how aggressively the Warriors are thinking about extending the Curry era, even if it means attempting one of the most ambitious roster constructions in modern NBA history.
A decade after defining rivalries and meeting at the peak of the league, the idea of Curry and James sharing a locker room is no longer being dismissed outright.