Earlier this year, the basketball community was stunned by an ESPN report revealing that the Warriors considered trading for LeBron James before the February 8 trade deadline. The report indicated that James’ camp rejected the idea after Warriors owner Joe Lacob spoke with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss about the potential trade.
James, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green later confirmed the report, with Green stating he urged the Warriors not to trade Jonathan Kuminga.
New insights have come to light concerning this pursuit that could have reshaped the NBA landscape. Insider Marc Stein revealed that James’ agent, Rich Paul, strongly opposed the trade, believing it would attract criticism for James switching teams for the fourth time in his career.
“Sources indicate that Paul urged both franchises to abandon the idea—despite discussions between Lacob and Buss, and Green’s efforts to persuade James to consider moving to Golden State—mainly to protect James from possible backlash,” Stein explained in his Sunday newsletter.
He added that Paul ensured the trade talks “never got too far,” as he wanted to prevent the notion from being considered, particularly by the Lakers.
In a noteworthy twist, James and Curry have again been mentioned as potential teammates after their strong chemistry led Team USA to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Following the Games, James expressed his desire to “play on the same NBA team” as Curry before he retires.
This sparked speculation among analysts about the possibility of pairing these two legends on an NBA roster. While ESPN’s Bobby Marks believes a realistic pathway to their collaboration isn’t likely until 2026, Kendrick Perkins thinks they could pressure their teams to make it happen as soon as the 2025 trade deadline.
Interest in the possibility of James and Curry teaming up could grow if the Lakers and Warriors struggle during the 2024-2025 season, especially as both teams are projected to miss the playoffs.
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