​The summer of LeBron James is in full swing, and the big question fueling NBA chatter is where he will play next. Since opting out of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers last week to test free agency, several teams have emerged as possible destinations, including the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers. James has offered no clear hints about his preferred location, and reports indicate he is in no rush to decide. Yet Stephen Curry weighed in on Wednesday and made his stance clear: he would welcome the chance to share the court with James in Golden State if that is the path James chooses.
Curry was approached about the topic while at a celebrity golf tournament in Stateline, Nevada, near Lake Tahoe. He initially responded with a lighthearted joke about golfing with James, but soon shifted to addressing the matter directly. “I’m sure — we obviously would love to play together — hopefully it happens,” Curry said. “But he deserves the opportunity and the right to take his time to make the decision.” Curry also spoke with the San Francisco Chronicle about the potential pairing, saying that he and James had indeed been in contact. The Chronicle cited that James had been communicating primarily via text during his free-agent process.
Stephen Curry has made no secret of his desire to play alongside LeBron James. However, the possibility of James joining the Warriors has, at least publicly, taken on the aura of a long shot. The two are longtime rivals and friends who have faced each other in four NBA Finals series and, more recently, won a gold medal together at the Paris Olympics in 2024. If James were to join Golden State in a bid for a fifth championship for both players, it would be a historic moment in the sport.
When James first announced his free agency, the Warriors were viewed as among the favorites, partly because reports suggested they were pursuing a package that would allow them to sign James while trading for his former Lakers teammate, Anthony Davis, who is now with the Wizards. Yet with renewed statements that the Wizards have no interest in trading Davis, ESPN’s Shams Charania has noted that Golden State has slipped behind in the chase for James.
Curry told the Chronicle that he trusts Golden State’s front office to rebuild a contender whether or not James ends up with the Warriors. “They know how I feel,” Curry said of the team’s management. “They’re always trying to win. It’s very unique circumstances right now, and it always goes back to timing and how many guys are available, especially at the top of the salary cap. I don’t know what kind of creative ways we can continue to get better if LeBron doesn’t come or whatever, but we’ll figure it out.”
If Golden State does not land James, the Warriors will need to get creative to retool a franchise that has significant work ahead after a challenging season that left them outside the top tier of the Western Conference. With an array of free-agent options limited in impact, any path back to contention will require shrewd moves, strong development from within their core, and perhaps timely breakthroughs in the market. The conversations surrounding LeBron’s next stop will continue to shape how teams strategize this offseason, and Curry’s openness to a potential future together will remain a compelling storyline as rumors persist and decisions loom.