The Golden State Warriors‘ pursuit of LeBron James may not have ended with their failed trade attempt two years ago.
According to veteran NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, Golden State remains a legitimate suitor for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer should he decide to continue playing beyond this season and explore options outside the Los Angeles Lakers.
In the latest edition of The Stein Line newsletter, Stein and Fischer reported that league sources continue to identify the Warriors as a team with genuine interest in adding James to a veteran core already featuring Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.
The report also revealed an intriguing selling point that Golden State could use in any recruitment effort.
Warriors Still Interested in Pairing LeBron James With Stephen Curry
GettyLeBron James and Stephen Curry won an Olympic gold medal together in 2024.
For years, the possibility of James and Curry sharing the same uniform seemed unimaginable given their rivalry in four consecutive NBA Finals from 2015 through 2018.
Yet the Warriors have quietly remained one of the league’s most persistent admirers of James.
Golden State famously explored a blockbuster trade for the four-time MVP before the 2024 trade deadline, only for the discussions to fizzle when James ultimately remained committed to the Lakers.
Now, with James entering unrestricted free agency and approaching his 24th NBA season, league sources say the Warriors have not abandoned the idea.
“Yet league sources maintain that Golden State remains legitimately interested in adding LeBron to their Stephen Curry/Jimmy Butler/Draymond Green core coached by Steve Kerr,” Stein and Fischer wrote.
Such a move would instantly create one of the most decorated veteran groups in NBA history.
Between Curry, James, Butler and Green, the quartet owns nine NBA championships, seven Olympic gold medals and a combined 41 All-Star selections.
Warriors’ Pitch Could Focus on Family Stability
One of the biggest questions surrounding James’ future has little to do with basketball.
After eight seasons with the Lakers, James has become deeply rooted in Southern California. His family, business interests and off-court ventures are all based in Los Angeles.
That reality has led many around the league to assume that remaining with the Lakers is the overwhelming favorite outcome.
Stein and Fischer echoed that sentiment while revealing why Golden State believes it can still make a compelling case.
“Staying with the Lakers is widely believed to be his preferred choice because he is so entrenched in Los Angeles now after eight seasons with the purple and gold,” Stein and Fischer wrote.
The Warriors’ pitch, according to the report, would center on the idea that James could continue living in Southern California for much of the season without uprooting his family.
The relatively short flight between Los Angeles and the Bay Area presents a dramatically different lifestyle challenge than relocating across the country.
Cleveland Reunion Viewed as More Difficult
Stein and Fischer also addressed another frequently discussed possibility: a third stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
While the Cavaliers remain emotionally tied to the franchise icon who delivered Cleveland’s first NBA championship in 2016, league sources reportedly view that scenario as less realistic.
“The idea of a third stint for James as a Cleveland Cavalier is harder to envision,” Stein and Fischer wrote, citing both Cleveland’s salary-cap limitations and James’ established California roots.
Compared to Northern Ohio, the Bay Area offers a significantly easier commute to Los Angeles and a smoother transition for a player who has spent nearly a decade building his life in Southern California.
LeBron James Could Still Help a Contender
Questions about James’ future have been fueled by both his age and retirement speculation.
The future Hall of Famer turned 41 last season and missed the first 14 games of the campaign while recovering from a lingering sciatica issue. Nevertheless, he remained productive once he returned to the floor.
James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists while shooting 51.5% from the field across 60 games for Los Angeles.
Any move to Golden State would come with significant financial challenges. Stein and Fischer noted that virtually every realistic destination outside Los Angeles would likely require James to accept a substantial pay cut from the $52.6 million he earned during the 2025-26 season.
That financial reality remains one of the biggest obstacles to any Warriors pursuit.
But if James decides to continue playing and prioritizes another championship opportunity over maximizing salary, Golden State appears ready to make its case.
According to Stein and Fischer, the Warriors’ interest is real. Whether James shares that interest may become one of the defining questions of the NBA offseason.
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