It has been just one week since Yaxel Lendeborg joined the Golden State Warriors as the No. 11 overall pick. The rookie is already getting a crash course in what it means to play for one of the most scrutinized franchises in basketball.
At Warriors Summer League media day, a reporter asked Lendeborg about the swirling rumors surrounding Golden State’s potential pursuit of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The rookie did not hold back about how the chatter has invaded his personal life.
“It was hard to stay away from because my friends kept saying to me, in the group chats, they’re just telling me, ‘The lineup would be ridiculous,’ and stuff like that,” Lendeborg said. “So I’m like, man, where would I fit in in this, you know?”
Why This Scenario Is Real for the Warriors
GettyGolden State Warriors speaks to LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The scenario Lendeborg’s friends keep texting him about is not pure fantasy. Draymond Green declined his $27.7 million player option, giving Golden State enough cap flexibility below the luxury tax and first apron to add James using either the non-taxpayer mid-level exception worth $15.1 million or the taxpayer exception around $6.1 million.
If the Warriors and Washington Wizards can find common ground on moving Jimmy Butler‘s $56.8 million expiring contract, Golden State could add Davis as well, creating a star-studded roster carrying real age and health risks alongside enormous upside.
It is the kind of roster construction that belongs in a video game. The whole league is watching it play out with fascination.
Lendeborg’s Honest Worry
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 23: Yaxel Lendeborg speaks to the media after he is drafted eleventh overall by the Golden State Warriors during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)
For Lendeborg, the excitement comes with a genuine concern. A roster shakeup this dramatic could just as easily mean his own name ends up in trade conversations.
“Hopefully I don’t get the back end of that and get traded,” Lendeborg said. “Hopefully I can stick around to see how that goes, and learn from all the veterans that are gonna come in.”
The Group Chat Chaos
It makes sense that Lendeborg’s phone has not stopped buzzing. His friends grew up watching James, Davis, and Stephen Curry at the height of their powers, and the idea of Lendeborg potentially sharing a locker room with all three is the kind of scenario most basketball fans only imagine in a video game.
There is also some irony buried in the situation. Lendeborg has earned the nickname “Dominican LeBron,” and he openly admitted to being a Kyrie Irving fan and a self-described Curry “hater” growing up, which says plenty about who he was rooting for during the Warriors-Cavaliers Finals battles a decade ago.
“They just wanted to know if I was getting to play with LeBron, Stephen, and Draymond,” Lendeborg said. “Playing with a bunch of guys that’ve been doing this for a long time. Played with each other on the Olympic gold medal team and stuff, so they’re just trying to figure out, man, am I going to get a ring my first year, you know? That would be something to tell. But hopefully it all happens. We’ll see how it goes.”
How He Sees Himself Fitting In
Lendeborg has already thought through what his role would look like if the dream scenario actually materializes. As a 6-foot-9 connector and versatile defender, he sees himself as the energy source that allows the veterans around him to conserve themselves for the moments that matter most.
“Those guys are a lot older, so I feel like with me, I would have to try to be the energy,” Lendeborg said. “Be the guy who takes all those extra plays so they can get some plays off. Trying to be the spark on defense and just be honest, bring as much energy as I can to try to give them time to rest.”
Final Word for the Warriors
General manager Mike Dunleavy and owner Joe Lacob have made their excitement about Lendeborg clear since draft night, which makes it unlikely the rookie ends up as trade collateral in any blockbuster scenario.
For now, Lendeborg is just trying to keep up with his own group chat. If the dream roster comes together, he already knows exactly what role he wants to play in it.
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