Steph Curry is planning to sit down with LeBron James in the next few weeks and make the case for the Lakers star to join the Warriors before free agency opens. The move would give Golden State its most ambitious offseason swing in years, even if the odds of landing James remain slim.
That is why this story is drawing attention now: Curry is not just floating the idea, he is expected to talk directly with James about the possibility, with Golden State reportedly open to pursuing him in free agency. The outreach comes as the Warriors continue looking for premium talent and know they have few easy ways to add it.
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported that momentum is building toward the Warriors making a legitimate run at James this summer. He said Golden State has stayed in touch with the Lakers about James' availability over the past couple seasons, and that Curry plans to meet and talk with him over the coming weeks leading up to free agency. James, who was still producing at a high level in the playoffs, would instantly change the ceiling of a roster that already leans on Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.
The cleanest path for Golden State would be the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, worth roughly $15 million a year, but that would amount to a 70% pay cut for James. A sign-and-trade could let the Warriors pay him more, though it would require major movement elsewhere. Butler's huge salary and ACL injury make that route look nearly impossible, Green could fit the Lakers if they want a defensive anchor, and Kristaps Porzingis appears to be the likeliest name to move if a deal ever takes shape. Such a trade would also need three-year contracts, and Porzingis could be available on a three-year, $75 million deal with only the first season guaranteed, a structure that could allow Golden State to pay James about $30 million to $35 million next season.
Even with that math, the obstacle is obvious. James may simply use Golden State as leverage to squeeze more guaranteed money from the Lakers, who still look like the team best positioned to give him the largest payday. The Warriors have talked publicly about easing off the championship-or-bust rhetoric, but this would still be a full-force swing. Curry will get his meeting, and by the time free agency starts, Golden State should know whether it is chasing a fantasy or the rare chance to pair two of the NBA's biggest names on the same floor.
