LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after winning the 2020 NBA Championship over the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Could LeBron James make one more move before he ends his illustrious NBA career? That remains to be seen, but it appears many believe there is at least one more destination for the four-time champion – and one source has tipped an unlikely one to land him.
The Golden State Warriors are not having a great season at the moment but have returned to the pinnacle of basketball, winning another championship this year to solidify their legacy as a true NBA dynasty. Even dynasties need help, though. And, according to Sam Quinn of CBS, the Dubs could be a frontrunner in the LBJ sweepstakes should one begin.
James has made no secret of his desire to play with Steph Curry, though Curry has poured water on the thought, likely out of respect. It’s believed that the relationship between the Los Angeles Lakers and their main man is getting frosty, so who knows?
Quinn notes that the Warriors’ struggles this season could prompt them to look to James, with both parties keen on a fifth ring.
“Hey, speaking of quotes launching rumors, James wasn’t even a little subtle in April when he said that Stephen Curry would be the player in today’s league with whom he’d most want to play,” he wrote.
“The Bay Area isn’t quite New York or Los Angeles, but it’s still an extremely appealing market thanks to Silicon Valley. Golden State’s ownership has hinted that it doesn’t plan to pay for a half-billion dollar payroll in the near future, but perhaps they’d change their tune if it meant access to all of the ancillary revenue streams James creates. The Warriors may not have felt they needed James to compete for a fifth championship before the season. Their poor start could make them more aggressive.”
How Would The Warriors Make This Work?
Quinn also explained the way the Warriors could get this to work, from the standpoint of the player who would be the easiest to involve in a trade.
“There’s a trade to be made here. It’s just a matter of who’s going to be involved,” he continued. “One of the following four players has to be in it as matching salary: Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole or Andrew Wiggins. Green is the logical choice. He plays LeBron’s position. He’s also a Klutch client who would probably like to play with James.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: Draymond Green #23 and Jordan Poole #3 of the Golden State Warriors celebrate a basket during the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks in Game Five of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals at Chase Center on May 26, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
“Thompson is the next likeliest choice, but he’s a beloved Bay Area icon who carries none of Green’s baggage. Would the team really let him go? Would Curry? Thompson’s father played in Los Angeles. That might be enough to convince him to give the [Los Angeles] Lakers a try. Maybe the Warriors tell Green that he can either be traded to Los Angeles or traded somewhere less desirable and he acquiesces.
“Poole and Wiggins are essential to both their immediate title hopes and their future. The Warriors would probably prefer to keep them and build a trade around draft picks, Jonathan Kuminga and/or James Wiseman.”
Since being drafted as the No.1 overall pick in 2003, James has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and the Lakers. Might the Warriors be able to count themselves as his fourth team in the not-too-distant future?
We’ve seen more improbable things happen, especially when it comes to Lebron.
