​Draymond Green has admitted that he tried to persuade LeBron James to join the Golden State Warriors during free agency. James became a free agent this summer after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers following eight seasons with the franchise. At the moment, the 41-year-old is projected to consider several potential destinations in the coming weeks, including a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Philadelphia 76ers, or the Miami Heat. Still, the Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves are also reportedly among the teams on James’s short list.
As one of James’s closest friends in the NBA, Green has already pitched the idea of teaming up with him in Golden State. Not only are James and Green close friends, but James also shares an excellent relationship with Warriors star Stephen Curry. The two have moved past a fierce rivalry and have developed a strong bond from their time playing together at the Olympics. James has publicly expressed a desire to be Curry’s teammate in the NBA, noting how well their games complement each other, which fueled speculation that he might sign with Golden State before reports surfaced indicating that the Cavaliers were his preferred destination.
Nevertheless, Green has not given up hope that the Warriors could land James, and the topic came up during a recent golf outing. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity to throw my pitch in there,” Green said on his podcast. “I’d be crazy if we’re together for x amount of days and at no point am I like ‘yo, we need to chop it up, what the hell is going on? What are we doing?’” He added that the pitch was indeed made and, while he acknowledged it was an intense sales attempt, it was not a formal recruitment session.
Green himself is a free agent, having declined his $27.7 million player option, though the expectation remains that he will re-sign with the Warriors. The possibility of teaming up with James continues to intrigue fans and analysts, even as both players explore their options on the market. While James weighs multiple destinations, the idea of joining forces with Golden State persists as a tantalizing prospect given the history and potential on-court fit.