Things did not go as planned in the Golden State Warriors‘ pursuit of LeBron James, prompting plenty of NBA rumors about the team’s next move. Golden State has little time to sulk with options dwindling in NBA free agency.
As James signs with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Warriors may need to pivot to the trade market with the team looking to build a contender for the upcoming NBA season. Could Golden State turn to a familiar face?
Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale floated Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant as a potential trade target for the Warriors.
“With the exception of 2030, they control all of their own first-round picks moving forward,” Favale wrote in a July 24, 2026, story titled, “What’s Next for Every LeBron James Suitor After 76ers Signing?” “And even the 2030 selection is under top-20 protection. They can still trade the juicier end of it. Salaries for Butler ($56.8 million), Moody ($12.5 million) and Brandin Podziemski ($5.7 million) give them plenty of different trade structures to explore.
“Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson, Aaron Gordon, Kevin Durant, Ryan Rollins, Derrick White and Michael Porter Jr. are just some of the names worth checking in on. Really, anything that suggests the Warriors are committed to doing more than the bare minimum to optimize what’s left of Steph’s window would suffice.”
Kevin Durant Already Vetoed an NBA Trade to the Warriors
There are obvious challenges to the Warriors striking a trade for Durant. Namely, the superstar previously shot down a trade when Golden State came calling.
During a February 2025, interview on “The Draymond Green Show,” Durant revealed why he was reluctant to be part of a Warriors reboot.
“As far as the Warriors, I didn’t want to move,” Durant said at the time, per Fox Sports. “Then, as a player, I cost a lot. Me going into your team in the middle of your season, it’s going to be a big blow to any team I’m going to.
“And I get why you want to trade me, simple fact that’s business but for me looking at it, it just don’t make sense for either side right now to go through that when we can play the season out and if that’s the decision you want to make in the offseason, then we figure it out,” Durant continued.
“If I can stop it, then why not?”
Warriors Rumors: Could Golden State Make Another Push to Strike NBA Trade for Rockets Star Kevin Durant?
Perhaps Durant feels differently years later, especially after an up-and-down season with the Rockets. Given his resume, Durant is on a reasonable two-year, $90 million contract that is slated to go through the 2027-28 NBA season.
Durant has a player option that would allow the star to become a free agent as soon as the 2027 offseason. The star only missed four games during the regular season.
Yet, detractors will point out that Durant’s postseason was derailed by injuries.
Warriors News: Golden State on Verge of Re-Signing Draymond Green
For now, the Warriors appear prepared to mostly run things back with a similar roster. Despite opting out of his contract, Draymond Green is poised to re-sign with Golden State, per The Athletic.
“In the end, as much as the idea of playing with Curry may have been appealing, the lack of realistic contention likely hurt the Warriors more than anything else,” The Athletic’s Joe Vardon and David Aldridge detailed in a July 25, story titled, “Inside LeBron’s Philadelphia Decision: Why pretty much everyone was completely in the dark.”
“… The Warriors are now expected to re-sign Green to roughly the same dollar amount — nearly $28 million — of the player’s option he declined last month.”
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