Could Warriors Again Try To Land LeBron James, Paul George This Summer?

We heard the rumors at the NBA trade deadline — the Golden State Warriors debated making a run at Los Angeles Lakers super-duper star LeBron James.

Of course, that wasn’t just a rumor. It’s been reported time and again, and while the Warriors supposedly tried to keep it a secret, word got out.

No less than Warriors owner Joe Lacob hinted that James was on the radar.

“I’m not going to comment on something I can’t comment on, but, in general, I just want to win,” Lacob said, via Baxter Holmes of ESPN. “We just want to win. We want to be the best, and we’re going to try whatever tactic it takes to get there. I am not here to screw around. We are not here to screw around. We are not here to be just ‘some team.’ We’re not going to do that. We may fail. Everyone fails. We may fail occasionally, but it will not be for lack of trying.”

Oh, by the way, James talked about it, too.

“It didn’t go far at all. I actually heard about it when everybody else heard about it,” he told TNT of the Warriors-Lakers trade talks.

Either way, Golden State can’t come back as currently constructed. Not if there are hopes of winning big again. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green won’t suddenly be getting younger. And Thompson is a free agent. There are no guarantees he’ll return — or how productive he will be if he does.

Meanwhile, James is under contract, but in today’s NBA, that doesn’t mean squat. If the Lakers should fall in the first round of the playoffs to the Denver Nuggets … well, who knows what James may do? It’s not like LA has a bunch of paths to major improvements.

The Warriors, however, could have some means to create space, perhaps via a sing-and-trade with Thompson (and a bevy of picks).

When it comes to James, it all boils down to where he wants to play next season. The Warriors wouldn’t trade for him if he didn’t want to come.

Meanwhile, Clippers star Paul George also could be eligible for free agency this summer. He’s mostly been linked to a Clippers return — but is also said to be the top offseason target of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd suggested the Warriors could indeed swing for the fences and make a play for James or Georges.

.@ColinCowherd's targets for the Warriors?

LeBron James and Paul George pic.twitter.com/wK7jJdpjh0

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) April 17, 2024

LeBron James? Paul George? With the Warriors? Yeah, seems like either would be a real long shot. But again, this is the NBA, the Warriors want to contend, and some of the game’s biggest names could become available.

In today’s world, that may all add up to something big happening for Golden State before next season even begins.

LeBron on the warriors trade rumors :

"It didn't go far at all. I actually heard about it when everybody else heard about it."

pic.twitter.com/slTAmldtgp

— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BasketballOnX) February 19, 2024