The Warriors are the top outside suitor for LeBron James as free agency opens.
LeBron James has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he intends to sign with another team this offseason, and the Golden State Warriors have emerged as the most likely landing spot for the four-time MVP.
James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games this past season as the Lakers went 53-29 and were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs.
The Frontrunners?
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that "the Warriors are at the front of the line in pursuit of LeBron James in free agency and league sources tell @TheSteinLine that Golden State is not operating as though it has a mandate to also pursue an Anthony Davis trade."
Earlier reports suggested James and Davis would need to come as a package deal, but Fischer's reporting opens the door for the Warriors to sign James without pulling off a blockbuster trade for the 10-time All-Star big man first.
What the Porzingis Deal Means
Golden State re-signed Kristaps Porzingis on a two-year, $40 million contract Monday, which raised questions about whether the Warriors priced themselves out of the James sweepstakes.
The deal narrows the path but does not close it, as the Warriors can still offer James roughly $15 million through the non-taxpayer mid-level exception if they move Moses Moody's contract and bring Draymond Green back at a lower annual salary after he declined his $27.7 million player option.
Porzingis averaged 16.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in 15 games after being traded from Atlanta at the deadline, and the front office clearly believes his fit alongside Stephen Curry justifies the cap gymnastics needed to chase James at the same time.
The Anthony Davis Question
Davis, who now sits with the Washington Wizards after being traded twice in the past two seasons, averaged 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds in just 20 games before a hand injury ended his 2025-26 season.
The Warriors have been linked to a possible swap of Jimmy Butler and draft picks for Davis, but Fischer's report suggests Golden State believes it can sell James on the move without first completing that trade.
This would let them pursue Davis on a separate timeline rather than trying to force everything through at once.
Where Golden State Goes From Here
The Warriors finished 37-45 and 10th in the Western Conference this past season, so pairing James with Curry, Porzingis, Green, and first-round pick Yaxel Lendeborg would represent a massive shift for a team that just missed the playoffs.
Free agency officially opened Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET, and with James already making his intentions clear, the next few days will determine whether Golden State can pull off the biggest signing of the summer.
