The Golden State Warriors are no longer favorites to sign LeBron James in a blockbuster free agency move.
That's at least according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer who've provided a notable update on James' future, reporting that the Cleveland Cavaliers are now viewed as the favorites to bring the superstar forward back for a third stint with the franchise.
Warriors no longer favorites to sign LeBron James in free agency
There was plenty of optimism among Warrior fans earlier in the week with a sequence of events that instantly put Golden State as favorites to land James. Draymond Green surprisingly opted out of his $27.6 million player option for next season, and less than 24 hours later James' departure from the Los Angeles Lakers was confirmed. Green and James are, of course, represented by the same agent in Klutch Sports' Rich Paul.
Yet the further this goes on, and it could go on much longer, the more the Cavaliers appear like the more likely outcome as Stein and Fischer laid out on Saturday.
..."There is certainly a growing belief among teams competing for James' signature that the lure of the 41-year-old playing out his final chapter with the team that drafted him — compared to, say, early favorites Golden State — is looking more and more like the scenario to beat," they wrote on The Stein Line.
This is a fluid situation and nothing should be viewed as concrete, but it's nonetheless an unfortunate update and perhaps an unsurprising one given the lure for James to return to where it all started, rather than head to the biggest rival of his career who he battled in four-straight NBA Finals last decade.
Warriors still given hope of signing LeBron James
If there is reason for hope among Warrior fans, it's a notable social media post from Sactown Sports' Carmichael Dave who shared to his over 60,000 followers on Saturday that he's hearing "strong, STRONG movement towards LeBron James signing with Golden State."
Hearing strong, STRONG movement towards LeBron James signing with Golden State.
— Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) July 4, 2026
The NBA is already preparing logistically.
Not finished, but more of a when and not “if”.
James is certainly keeping the NBA world on it's toes and buzzing with anticipation, but Golden State's front office (and others around the league) don't really mind as the second wave of free agency comes to somewhat of a halt awaiting the decision.
The 41-year-old signing with the Warriors would be a major coup for the franchise and brigthen the outlook entering next season, while it would also pair the two greatest players of the past 15 years together in James and Stephen Curry.
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