The Golden State Warriors will probably explore the possibility of adding any and every star that could hit the trade and free agency market this offseason, including LeBron James. He will be an unrestricted free agent, and after Dave McMenamin's latest piece for ESPN, there is even more reason to believe that he could leave the Lakers if he plays for a 24th season.
McMenamin wrote that a source who is "close" to LeBron said that Los Angeles tried to "push him out the door" after last year's Luka Dončić trade. If you're thinking that James is probably over that by now, think again.
LeBron still feels like the Lakers are "taking him for granted." McMenamin included a moment from Los Angeles' win over Cleveland on March 31, when Rob Pelinka gave the game ball to JJ Redick, who recorded his 100th career win as coach, instead of James, who picked up the 1,229th career victory that pushed him past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the most combined regular-season and playoff wins in NBA history.
That was less than two months ago, and during the Lakers' hot streak when they rose in the conference standings.
Lakers shouldn't be the automatic favorite for LeBron if he returns
Most people thought that Los Angeles finally figuring things out with Dončić, LeBron, and Austin Reaves in March meant that James would ultimately decide to stay in purple and gold. Clearly, though, there is still some tension there, and although LeBron said on Monday after the Lakers' season-ending loss that there's "no static" between him and the organization, it's hard to believe that's really true.
On the topic of what's next for LeBron, McMenamin added that a source close to the superstar thinks it's "up to the Lakers" because the 41-year-old "loves it in L.A."
Los Angeles is where his family is. He's building an estate in Beverley Hills. It's where his business ventures are. He's made it his home since signing with the Lakers in 2018. Because of all those things (and more), LA, in theory, has a leg up in negotiations if James returns for the 2026-27 season.
However, it also doesn't sound like it would take all that much for things to go south, which could push LeBron to consider leaving for another team.
If he wants to stay close to his family (and doesn't want to go to the Clippers), he could be swayed to go to Golden State. He'd have to take a pay cut to make that happen (and that could end up being a sticking point for him), but the value of playing with Steph Curry could be enough for him. LeBron knows that the Warriors would treat him well, too. Steve Kerr's return also helps.
It might still seem like a long shot, but then again, it really wouldn't be all that wild. The rumors about LeBron and Steph teaming up have been a thing for years. Because he's felt slighted by Los Angeles, it could finally become a reality this summer.
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