LeBron James and Anthony Davis were a superstar duo that brought a championship to Los Angeles five years ago, but were ultimately split up in the middle of last season as a result of the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade.
Could James and Davis have interest in playing together again at the Golden State Warriors?
That's a shock question to even ask, but it's not totally unrealistic given both have been linked to the Warriors in recent times. Speculation on Davis' future, in particular, has risen significantly in the wake of Nico Harrison's firing at the Dallas Mavericks, and perhaps a move for the All-Star big man could prepare Golden State for a stronger pitch to James next offseason.
Anthony Davis trade could incentivize LeBron James in free agency
The Warriors have already been proposed by multiple analysts as the lead contender for Davis if/when he becomes available. The Ringer's Bill Simmons suggested Golden State could flip Jimmy Butler and draft capital for Davis, while Sam Quinn of CBS Sports ranked the franchise first of all 29 rival teams who could make a deal with the Mavericks.
Davis is currently on the sidelines with a calf injury, with any trade unlikely to take place until he returns to the floor and we get closer to the mid-season deadline. Any interest in the 32-year-old from a Warrior perspective would be dependant on how they fare in the next couple of months, and subsequently whether they're desperate enough to explore a move for the injury-prone star.
With or without a Davis trade, the Warriors are likely to show some interest in luring James away from the Lakers in free agency given their interest in the 4x MVP previously. A retirement tour in the Bay Area might be a legitimate option, with The Ringer's Zach Lowe theorizing as such on a recent episode of his podcast.
I know people with the Warriors are looking around like, ‘Hey, you want to fulfill that dream over here?' Dallas — that was a rumor. We’ll see what happens," Lowe said of James' future beyond this season.
The opportunity to play a year or two with Stephen Curry might be enough to bring James to the Warriors, but there might be an extra incentive if his former championship teammate is also there, particularly given the Doncic-Davis trade came without the superstar forward's input.
Golden State would need James to take a minimum contract as a free agent for it to happen, something that's not impossible if he's desperate to head to a specific place where he believes he has one more chance at a title.
The likelihood is that neither Davis or James are Warrior players in the next 12 months, but it's still worth monitoring especially if the franchise gets in such a tricky spot that a trade with the Mavericks becomes a legitimate possibility.