A LeBron James move to the Golden State Warriors would signal the franchise's desire for one more deep playoff push, and could impact who they take at the NBA draft later this month.
Using the 11th pick is set to be the first move the Warriors make in building next season's roster, with Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg becoming a clearer and more obvious option if the franchise believes they're going to be able to sign James later in free agency.
Warriors should draft Yaxel Lendeborg if they can land LeBron James
Lendeborg has already been arguably the prospect most strongly linked to Golden State at the 11th pick, largely stemming from the potential of his immediate contributions to a franchise that continues to pursue success towards the end of the Stephen Curry era.
Signing James would be a major coup for the Warriors, but it would also increase the age of the roster and their availability issues, and therefore the need for younger frontcourt options who could log significant minutes during a long regular season.
This is where Lendeborg could really come into play, having led the Wolverines to the NCAA championship this season where he averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks on 51.5% shooting from the floor and 37.2% from 3-point range.
As a similar size and position to James, Lendeborg could help ensure Golden State can manage the 41-year-old successfully throughout the season, while also playing considerable minutes alongside him given Jimmy Butler remains sidelined by a torn ACL.
Who better to learn from either if you're a forward entering the league, offering Lendeborg the incredibly unique opportunity to play a meaningful role on a team led by arguably the two greatest players of the past 15 years.
Warriors have to draft before LeBron James commitment
The issue for the Warriors is that the draft will take place before free agency. Perhaps they simply take the best available prospect at 11, but it would also be ideal if Golden State had an idea of their free agency and trade plans, and whether they have a legitimate chance of signing James.
Rumors of the Warriors interest in James have surged in recent days, including reports of Curry's plan to speak to the 22x All-Star, but free agency won't officially start until a week after the draft begins on June 23.
Taking a younger prospect who needs a couple of years of development wouldn't make a whole lot of sense for a veteran team led by Curry and James, making Lendeborg an even stronger option than the 23-year-old already appears to be.
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