The Golden State Warriors were hoping to bring LeBron James to the Bay Area to join Stephen Curry and Draymond Green for one final championship run. Golden State was aggressive from the beginning in its pursuit of the four-time NBA champion.
James took his time with the decision, which he had earned after completing his 23rd NBA season. Before free agency officially began, Curry even met with James to discuss the possibility of teaming up.
“Pairing him with Stephen Curry is going to be something that the Warriors are going to pursue over the next few weeks… It seemed very doubtful, it seemed low percentage, now it's kind of questionable. Now there's going to be some legs to this… That same source told us that Steph is planning on meeting and talking with LeBron about potentially joining the Warriors over the course of the next few weeks leading up to free agency," NBA insider Brett Siegel said.
The Warriors remained in the mix until the very end, but James ultimately decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.
“LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers for his final run at another NBA championship, he announced Friday," ESPN's Dave McMenamin wrote. "James, 41, is signing a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania."
For Golden State, missing out on James leaves the franchise in a difficult position, especially when it comes to determining its next move. Curry recently addressed the Warriors falling short in the pursuit of James, and his response was very direct.
“That's why you don't envision anything until it happens,” Curry said.
The possibility of Curry and James teaming up was one of the most exciting storylines of the offseason, with fans across the NBA wanting to see two of the greatest players of this generation share the court late in their careers.
Now, the Warriors must completely pivot after missing out on James. Curry clearly considered the possibility of playing alongside him, making the outcome even more disappointing. However, Curry’s message remains true: nothing is guaranteed until everything is officially finalized.
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