For the first time in his career, LeBron James enters free agency without a safety net, and he won't be short of options should he choose that route. One is the Golden State Warriors.
When LeBron James decided to exercise his player option for the 2025-26 NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers, he set himself up for free agency with no Plan B for the first time in his 23-year career. It not only led to skepticism of his career continuing with the Lakers, but whether it would continue at all. Until James makes a decision, the discourse won’t quiet down, and that certainly leads to teams being linked to the superstar as top options. Of course, one of those is Los Angeles – if the price matches.
The Lakers are expected to have around $50 million in projected cap space, and they’ll have to prioritize re-signing James – and at what price – alongside building a roster around Doncic and handling Austin Reaves’ situation, who’s set to be an unrestricted free agent. James will likely have to take a pay cut, and the question is how much he’d be willing to concede. That leads to other contenders emerging. ESPN reports that one is the Golden State Warriors, with whom James has a history with. James faced off against the Warriors led by Steph Curry and head coach Steve Kerr in four straight NBA finals, and the trio won a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The narratives would write themselves between the two who battled for the title from 2015 to 2018.
Here is the full story from Warriors Roundtable writer Kyle Ngo on the reports that the team may pursue James and another superstar to contend in Curry’s final seasons.
James would be a major boost to Golden State’s championship hopes, even with James’ age. Curry’s extended absence this season also has shown how valuable he is – but how little time he might have left to be a top star in the league. This would be a game-changer for both careers.