The Golden State Warriors may have to think bigger if they want to sell LeBron James on a move, and that means looking beyond the Anthony Davis chatter that has followed him in recent weeks.
For now, the Washington Wizards do not appear ready to trade Davis, which leaves Golden State searching for another path. One wild option floating around: a blockbuster deal that brings Klay Thompson back to the Warriors and also lands Kyrie Irving, giving James the kind of star-studded setup that could make him sign as a free agent.
It’s a long shot. But it’s at least on the board.
Irving has also been tied to James’ free agency speculation, with some around the league still viewing the Cleveland Cavaliers as the favorites for the four-time MVP. The idea of James and Irving teaming up again has obvious appeal, especially with Irving having come off a torn ACL and not playing since the start of March last year. Dallas handled his return carefully, and he should be ready for opening night.
If Golden State wanted to pivot away from a package built around Jimmy Butler and picks for Davis, the same kind of framework could be used to chase Irving and Thompson instead. Their contracts line up neatly with Butler’s $56.8 million expiring salary, which makes the mechanics of a deal at least workable.
The Warriors also have a real opening with Thompson. Dallas is open to moving him, and Thompson himself has recently said he would like to return to Golden State. The tougher part would be prying Irving away from the Mavericks in exchange for Butler, though the deal would not be impossible if the Warriors are willing to load it up with enough draft compensation.
From a basketball standpoint, the idea would be pure theater. Irving and James were on the other side of Thompson, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in multiple NBA Finals, including the 2016 series when Cleveland stormed back from 3-1 down. Putting those names on the same roster 10 years later would be the kind of move that stops the league.
It would also come with obvious fit questions. Curry and Irving would form a tiny backcourt that would have to survive on offense, not defense. Still, with James handling playmaking and downhill scoring, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford stretching the floor, and Thompson providing elite shooting off the bench, the upside would be impossible to ignore.
Davis remains the cleanest and probably most realistic target, especially if August 6 approaches and James still has not made his decision. But if that route stays closed, the Warriors may need to get creative. A reunion with Thompson, plus Irving, would certainly be one way to make their pitch to James impossible to ignore.
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Golden State is the club drawing the most attention in that chatter, because the Warriors have both the profile and the incentive to chase a move of that size if the contract side can be made to work. The Wizards still hold the leverage for now, but Davis preferences could end up mattering just as much as the front office math, which is why this has quickly become one of the more intriguing names to watch as the calendar turns. [Read more 🡒]
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Kerrs preference against adding Porter is believed to have carried over, with the coach seeing the forward as a tricky match for the Warriors ball movement and player movement-heavy system. Now that Kerr has re-signed with Golden State, a Porter deal looks unlikely this offseason, leaving the teams roster plans to move in a different direction. [Read more 🡒]