The worst-kept secret in the NBA this offseason has been the Golden State Warriors’ desire to bolster their roster with a LeBron James acquisition. Golden State has been chasing James for years, and while it was initially a pipe dream, this offseason it’s felt different.
While still being considered a long shot, the Warriors entered the offseason with more realistic dreams of adding the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. It was easy to see the appeal of James, in the twilight of his spectacular career,
joining Steph Curry (whom he’s always had extreme admiration for), Draymond Green (one of his close friends), and Steve Kerr (whom he played for in the Olympics). But it was unclear if James would actually consider such a move.
On Tuesday, it became a distinct possibility, when news broke that James had informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he would be playing elsewhere. After spending eight years in the purple and gold, it was widely assumed that that James’ most likely choice would be to stay on the Lakers. With that off the table, the doors to all the other options opened wide.
And with that, the Warriors are not just in the running, but arguably the favorites for James’ services. Given the reports that James prefers an ideal situation to the largest check, the Warriors check a lot of boxes. They would be a competitive team, they employ a lot of his friends (and fellow Klutch Sports athletes), they’re coached be someone he deeply respects, and he would remain close to Los Angeles, where his family is firmly entrenched.
The betting odds may favor the Dubs, but nothing is set. According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, the Warriors “have been given no indication” that James intends to sign with them. That doesn’t mean James is against signing with Golden State, just that nothing was been predetermined.
As Slater notes, the Warriors will need to do some recruiting … but it’s hard to imagine a better trio of recruiters for James than Curry, Green, and Kerr. The Warriors have to be thrilled with the position that they’re in, but there’s still work to do.
