There’s a chance All-Star forward LeBron James will take his player option and become a free agent soon. If that happens, the Golden State Warriors are projected to go after him and create an insane team with Stephen Curry.
James first entered the league as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ number one pick in the 2003 Draft, a class that also boasted Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Carmelo Anthony. He then signed with the Miami Heat in 2010 after only leading the Cavs to a single NBA Finals appearance against the San Antonio Spurs in 2007.
From there, he won a pair of rings with Wade and Bosh in Miami, but left for Cleveland again in 2014. In just his second year back with the team that drafted him, James fulfilled his promise of bringing home a championship to the city by defeating the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Later on, he won a fourth ring in 2020 as part of the Los Angeles Lakers.
All in all, James has amassed an impressive list of accolades and accomplishments. Some of these include becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, appearing in 20 All-Star Games, winning four MVP and Finals MVP awards, and a scoring title in 2008, among others.
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James Named as Perfect Trade Target For Golden State Warriors
Although James is turning 40 later this year, the four-time champion can still play better than most players half his age. He also has a player option in his contract, which means he can sign up with any team in the offseason. In the event he does a sign-and-trade, the Golden State Warriors should be Los Angeles’ partner, as explained in an article by Greg Swartz for Bleacher Report.
“After a disappointing first-round exit, would James be more open to joining Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State? James would need to pick up his $51.4 million player option to execute a trade.
The Warriors could get to $51 million in salary by packaging Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II and Kevin Looney or use Chris Paul’s expiring $30 million deal to help facilitate a deal. Seeing James in a Warriors uniform may feel wrong, but combining him and Curry before both of their historic careers end would make for beautiful basketball,” Swartz wrote.
Like James, Golden State’s Stephen Curry is still playing at a high level, as evidenced by his averages of 26.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. Those numbers would go well with James’ performance last season of 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
It remains to be seen whether James stays in Los Angeles, does a sign-and-trade, or opts out to become a free agent. In any case, a lot of eyes will be on him this offseason.
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