The Golden State Warriors went all in this summer, trying to snag another superstar alongside Steph Curry for a championship run. Their biggest target? LeBron James. Everyone in the Bay Area thought it was happening, but James ultimately chose the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Warriors’ Big Swing That Missed
Golden State really thought they were in the prime position to land the four-time NBA champion. We heard all about it, right? ESPN’s Dave McMenamin was on it, reporting that James, at 41, signed a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option with the 76ers for his “final run.” Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul confirmed that whole deal to ESPN’s Shams Charania. It was a done deal for Philly, not the Bay.
Curry, no surprise, was super invested in the possibility of James joining him. Back in June, Curry even met with James to discuss the whole idea of bringing him to Golden State. NBA insider Brett Siegel spilled the tea, saying that “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…” Siegel even added that Steph himself was planning to meet with LeBron leading up to free agency. They were serious about this.
Curry’s Honest Take On The Rejection
Recently, NBA insider Marc Spears sat down with Curry, and Steph didn’t hold back. He opened up about truly believing the Warriors had a shot at landing James. Curry understands the decision though, saying James just had to find the right fit for himself. “We took some shots at it… until you hear the final decision, you gotta think you have a shot. I guess a guy like that when you have that ability to go anywhere you want in the league, you find a place that’s right for you,” Curry told Spears.
You can tell Curry really wanted to team up with James. It would have been incredible, a real blockbuster move. But he gets that, at the end of the day, it’s a business. James needed the right situation at this stage of his career, and Philly, with its “younger team with a different collection of star talent,” was the pick over Golden State. Curry seemed optimistic the whole time, but it just didn’t come to fruition.
So, no LeBron for the Warriors this time. It leaves you wondering what Golden State’s next move is, and how they plan to chase that next championship without another superstar alongside Curry.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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