‘We Shouldn’t Ignore the Possibility’: LeBron James to Warriors Rumors Just Ramped Up

Go ahead and put those LeBron James returns to the Cavaliers (again) rumors to rest for now. Instead, imagine James sticking in California. Though not by way of a return to the Lakers or with the crosstown Clippers.

The latest buzz has LeBron teaming with one his past rivals, Steph Curry, as a member of the Golden State Warriors.

10 years after superstar Kevin Durant joined an already stacked Warriors team, LBJ just might do the same.

James, of course, is an unrestricted free agent this summer and his basketball future is the hottest non-Finals topic in the NBA.

Retirement’s an option, though based on his play this past season as a 41-year-old, ( 21 points, 6 boards and 7 assists per game) LeBron’s unlikely to hang em up.

The idea of LeBron playing a 24th NBA season seems all but certain at this point. He’s healthy and still plays at a high level. A four-time league MVP, James is viewed as the most attractive free agent to be on the market for teams with championship aspirations.

Pairing an aging but still mightily effective Curry and defensive mastermind Draymond Green with James would be a dream scenario for a Warriors team whose superstars are in the twilight of their Hall of Fame careers.

At the same time, it would be a nightmare for the rest of the NBA.

According to a report from NBC Sports Bay Area earlier this week, Golden State’s sweet dreams could soon be reality.

“I know it seems crazy, but there is at least curiosity on both sides. This wouldn’t even be a conversation five or six years ago, and it might not happen now, but there’s enough there that we shouldn’t ignore the possibility,” a well-connected source within the league told NBC Sports Bay Area. “It’s mostly up to LeBron.”

That league source is far from alone in their thinking. Polymarket currently has the Warriors as the third-most likely team to roster James during the 2026-27 campaign if he forgos retirement, as expected.

Polymarket gives Golden State a 9% chance of landing LBJ, just two percentage points behind the New York Knicks. A return to the Lakers is the clear favorite, at 58%. Cleveland, meanwhile, is a surprising fourth at just 6%.

Because the Lakers own James’ “Bird rights” they can offer him more than any other team. A max contract from LA would pay James more than $55 million per season. By comparison, most contending teams have little more to offer than the mid-level exception, which is about $15 million.

Having a significantly larger salary, being with his family in Los Angeles and the Lakers’ upward arrow are all reasons why a return to the Lakers is the current odds-on favorite.

Then again, James is a billionaire, so the idea of teaming with a generational talent like Curry while still living within driving distance to Los Angeles and playing for a contending team might be more of a serious possibility than the odds markets think.

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