The Golden State Warriors have spent years treating first-round picks like precious cargo, but that habit could be tested in a big way if their push for LeBron James gets serious.
On Friday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said the Warriors are "still looking for ways to trade future first-round picks to improve the roster for (Stephen) Curry," while also going after James, the league’s top unrestricted free agent. That alone is enough to get attention in Golden State, where fans have heard plenty of talk about bold moves without seeing the front office actually pull the trigger.
The skepticism makes sense. The Warriors have been linked to a long list of big names - Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Lauri Markannen and, most notably, Giannis Antetokounmpo - but those pursuits rarely turned into anything real. Even their latest star-level addition, Jimmy Butler, came as a distressed asset and cost just one first-round pick, the 20th overall selection.
That’s why talk of multiple future picks still feels hard to believe to a lot of Warriors fans. Golden State has held onto its draft capital tightly in recent years, and it still has full control of all its future picks except for 2030, which is top 20 protected.
James could be the exception because he would arrive as a free agent, and his contract would come at a price that doesn’t reflect how productive he still is. The source material describes him as a top 15-20 player in the league, and that kind of value could make the Warriors more willing to reshape the roster around Curry.
Anthony Davis has been the player most often tied to Golden State in connection with a James signing, and a move like that would signal a much more aggressive approach from the front office.
There’s also the possibility that Yaxel Lendeborg changes the equation. His early summer league form could reinforce how valuable first-round picks are, but it could also convince the Warriors that moving future assets is worth it if the upside is there.
For now, though, the pattern is familiar. Warriors fans have seen too many near-misses to assume a major swing is coming, and everything so far points to Golden State bringing back a very similar roster.
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