Draymond Green and LeBron James are spending time together this week at an undisclosed location — and the NBA world took notice immediately.
ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news Tuesday on “The Stephen A. Smith Show“, confirming the two have linked up amid James’ ongoing free agency deliberations. The location was not revealed, even after Stephen A. pressed Charania directly on air.
“By the way, breaking news here — LeBron James and Draymond Green are spending some time here together this week,” Charania said on the show. When Stephen A. asked where exactly, Charania simply responded: “Undisclosed location.”
The timing is significant. Green opted out of his $27.7 million player option last week specifically to give the Warriors financial flexibility to pursue James — and the two have been close friends throughout their careers despite never playing on the same team. Green’s opt-out widely was viewed as a signal that he was operating with knowledge that James was leaving the Lakers, if not necessarily confirmation that he was heading to the Bay Area.
Charania made clear the Warriors still face a significant hurdle in the James sweepstakes. Golden State’s plan reportedly hinges on packaging a trade for Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis alongside a James signing — and short of that, Charania does not believe the Warriors are at the top of James’ list.
“The Warriors’ whole plan going into free agency was, let’s see if we can get Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, LeBron James and Anthony Davis,” Charania said. “The big draw for LeBron James with the Warriors would be a package deal. Short of that, I don’t think the Warriors are high on that list — and I think the Warriors believe they’re not high on that list — unless they’re able to go get Anthony Davis.”
Per Charania, the Cavaliers, Heat and 76ers currently represent the top tier of James’ options. Cleveland is viewed as the quiet favorite by most league insiders, while Philadelphia’s acquisition of Jaylen Brown from the Celtics has made the 76ers a legitimate contender for James’ services.
For now, Green and James are somewhere together. Whether that undisclosed location becomes the setting for one of the most consequential recruiting pitches in Warriors history remains to be seen.