NBA legend stirs the pot on LeBron James joining Warriors in free agency

LeBron James' future is the talk of the NBA world in the wake of the Los Anges Lakers being eliminated in the second-round of the playoffs at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.

James is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, with rumors swirling for months over a potential move to the Golden State Warriors, a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, or even a blockbuster shift to the New York Knicks.

NBA legend adds credibility to LeBron-Warriors rumors

The Warriors have been linked to James in trade rumors for a number of years, but the idea of him pairing up with Stephen Curry -- the two greatest players of the past 15 years -- still seems a fanciful one to many.

Now as a free agent, acquiring James becomes far easier for Golden State or another rival team. While there's a prevailing sense that the 41-year-old will likely remain with the Lakers for what could be the final season of a legendary career, NBA legend Gary Payton has stirred the pot on a potential move to the Warriors.

Speaking on the Nightcap show following the Lakers' elimination, Payton said that "there's a good shot if he (James) leaves, he's going to Golden State. I'm telling you he's coming to Golden State if he leaves."

Considering his son, Gary Payton II, is a current member of the Warriors, this statement certainly holds some validity as James weighs up his future after what was his eighth year with the Lakers.

James would need to take a significant pay cut to join Golden State or any other veteran contending team, something he may finally be willing to do in the hope of adding a fifth NBA championship to his remarkable legacy.

LeBron James joining the Warriors would create must-watch basketball

Despite James and Curry's statures as arguably two of the top 10 best players in NBA history, there's no guarantee that the Warriors would actually be a dominant team considering they'll be 42 and 39-years-old by the time next year's playoffs roll around.

Regardless of how good Golden State actually were, they'd almost assuredly be the most-watched team in the league next season with James and Curry taking the floor together for only the second time (in a competitive environment) after winning Gold together at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Luring James away from the Lakers would be a major coup for the Warriors, particularly as they aim to keep their head above water before star forward Jimmy Butler returns from his torn ACL injury.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow