LeBron James. Golden State Warriors.
Two names that have felt eternally linked. Two forces that helped define basketball throughout the 2010s.
Both may be past their primes, but that hasn’t weakened the pull. This is a connection that just won’t fade; in fact, it may only get stronger.
It started back in 2015. James and the Warriors started a supremacy tug-of-war. For four straight years, one side needed to beat the other in order to lay hands on the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
That was Phase 1.
After doing battle for years and mustering up some true animosity for one another, feelings have changed.
James is close friends with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, the heirlooms of the dynasty who are still attempting to rattle off one last hurrah. James, Curry and Green have handshakes, endearingly greet one another each time their teams square off, exchange laughter and smiles in front of everyone to see.
This is Phase 2.
A phase that may see James finally go to the team that has long shuffled the trajectory of his career
LeBron James to the Warriors: The Discourse Continues
Since last summer, this conversation has received a new ring to it.
James and the Los Angeles Lakers decided to go into this season without any future commitment. Unless the 21-time NBA All-Star decides to retire after the season, he will become an unrestricted free agent.
Never before has James been in this position. He entered the previous 22 years of his career with a guaranteed contract for the next. Even when he was signing shorter contracts with the Miami Heat and in his second-stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James always had a player-option for the second year in his back pocket. He always controlled his destiny. He no longer does, which quickly opens the door for the scenario many have been talking about for years — James to Golden State.
As if often the case, things are never that simple in the NBA. Who knows what James will do this summer; even he may not yet know what he wants to do. But if he elects to leave the Lakers and give it a shot with his Warriors buddies, it’ll take a major sacrifice.
“The contract stuff though is what I think even us who cover the league are not spending enough time analyzing,” said NBA insider Sam Amick on “Run it Back,” meaning Cleveland and Golden State, you are not even just talking about a pay-cut, you are talking about a massive pay-cut and maybe even a minimum contract.”
The One Way it Could Realistically Happen
Forget basketball, James perhaps hasn’t made a decision anywhere in his life without navigating a deep thought process.
His decision to come to Los Angeles eight years ago had to do with plenty more than purely basketball; James wanted a place to settle his family for the long run and where he could expertly position himself to transition into his post-NBA life. There is no doubt James is in prime position to continue pursuing his many non-basketball related endeavors once his playing career is over.
There may be only one way James comes to the Lakers, and that may be only if Curry and Green deliver a passionate recruiting pitch. That pitch may very well be along the lines of friendships. James, Curry and Green could decide now is their final chance to play with one another — so why not?
James may not receive a pitch. Curry and Green may not even consider giving him one once they sit back and put themselves in James’ position. Playing on a near-minimum, for all their friendships, is a tough ask for anyone, especially for James, who is notorious for collecting every penny he can earn.
The Warriors badly need help, James may have some Lakers fatigue, the world wants headlines.
Anything can happen this summer.
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