Warriors asked what it would take to land LeBron James, got their answer

The Warriors didn’t leave any stone unturned in their pursuit of LeBron James. It just wasn’t enough.

According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Golden State directly asked James’ representatives whether there was a specific roster move that could convince the four-time MVP to sign with the franchise.

The answer was no. League sources told ESPN there were “subliminal implications” that adding another major star, similar to Philadelphia’s trade for Jaylen Brown, may have improved the Warriors’ chances. But Golden State never found a realistic path to that type of blockbuster move.

Anthony Davis was discussed internally, Slater reported, but the Warriors viewed a trade with Washington as too costly.

Golden State’s recruiting effort stretched well beyond trade discussions.

Slater reported that Stephen Curry reached out to James to express his interest in playing together, Draymond Green spent time with James during a vacation, and Warriors governor Joe Lacob even sent Rich Paul a voice message outlining the organization’s pitch.

The Warriors also had the financial flexibility to offer James more than the veteran’s minimum and discussed the possibility of him splitting time between the Bay Area and Los Angeles during the season.

Still, team sources told ESPN there was little optimism inside the organization during the final stages of free agency that James would choose Golden State.

One league source suggested James may have been more comfortable teaming with Curry elsewhere than joining the franchise that stood in his way during so many NBA Finals.

“I believe there’s more appeal to playing with Steph Curry on a different franchise rather than that franchise,” the source told ESPN.

The Warriors ultimately watched James sign with the 76ers and are expected to return much of last season’s roster.

According to ESPN, team executives continue to believe they’re positioned to make a significant move if another impact player becomes available, even after a relatively quiet offseason.