LeBron James’ free agency has become the loudest conversation in Las Vegas, and the latest team making a real push is Golden State.
Draymond Green has been at the center of it. Sources say Green recently spent time with James while the two were on vacation, and that trip gave the Warriors forward a chance to make the full case for James to join him and Stephen Curry in San Francisco. The pitch was direct, personal and, by Green’s own description on his podcast after the trip, “crazy” and something that would “make you think twice about it.”
Golden State’s angle is clear. The Warriors are selling James on a final run with Curry, Green and head coach Steve Kerr, someone James holds in high regard. But the bigger theme in their pitch is simpler than the championship talk: the chance to spend the closing stretch of his career on a team built to contend.
That message has been delivered in more than one way. Sources say Curry has also been in direct communication with James, with ESPN previously reporting that the two have mostly been texting. It’s not clear whether phone or video calls happened between them, but the Warriors’ view is that both Green and Curry have been able to speak directly with James, which matters in a recruitment process where Rich Paul has been handling interest for the 22-time All-Star.
Golden State’s front office has been involved, too. General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and owner Joe Lacob have both been part of the pitch to Paul. The Warriors believe they have a strong case if James is looking at a Western Conference destination: a possible legacy finish alongside Curry, a move that could happen without a major life upheaval if he were to go from Los Angeles to San Francisco during the season, and the appeal of finishing with friends.
One team source pointed to the storytelling element that has long followed James throughout his career, saying the idea of winning a championship with Curry would be the strongest ending to his NBA legacy.
There was another development on Sunday that only added to the noise around Golden State’s pursuit: the team hired former Lakers championship coach Frank Vogel as one of Kerr’s lead assistants. Team sources said that move was not made with the goal of recruiting James, but it also wasn’t seen as hurting the Warriors’ chances.
Still, the prevailing belief around Summer League is that James is headed back to Cleveland. Rival personnel in Las Vegas continue to expect him to sign with the Cavaliers, the team that drafted him first overall in 2003.
The Warriors and Cavaliers remain the two teams most talked about in the James sweepstakes, but the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets are still listed among the clubs in the race. None of those six teams has been told by James or Paul that they are out, though many around Summer League have downplayed Denver’s and Minnesota’s chances.
James has already heard what he needs to hear from the top suitors, and that’s why many around the league believe a decision is close. The timing is the unknown.
A reveal at Fanatics Fest, where James is scheduled for two show recordings, is one possibility. Another is an announcement on Rich Paul’s show.
For now, the sense in Las Vegas is that James has been locked in on a return to Cleveland. The only real question left is whether Green’s face-to-face sales job can change that.
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