​Warriors reportedly eye reunion with $33 million NBA champion to lure LeBron James, originally featured on The Sporting News. The Sporting News is listed as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The Golden State Warriors continue their assertive pursuit of LeBron James, recognizing the urgency of signing the four-time NBA champion this summer. The notion of pairing Stephen Curry and James now seems like a plausible scenario.
Golden State has pulled out all the stops in its effort to recruit James. The latest development reportedly involves Draymond Green spending time with James to discuss the possibility of joining forces. “LeBron James and Draymond Green are meeting up as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer looks to join a new team for the 2026-27 season, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Charania reported that James and Green are spending some time here together this week at an undisclosed location during a Tuesday appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Bachar wrote.
James’ agent, Rich Paul, has been vocal throughout the process surrounding the future Hall of Famer. Paul believes that if James were to join the Warriors, they would instantly become one of the league’s toughest teams. “If we’re talking strictly basketball, you don’t want to play them. You definitely don’t want to play them in a playoff series. You don’t want to get to the trade deadline and have little surface edges type of moves made. You talk about just basketball brilliance of mind and experience, production. It’s pretty tough, Max,” Paul stated.
James appears inclined to wait and see what moves potential suitors make before deciding where he will play next season. The Warriors have been tied to a blockbuster pursuit of Anthony Davis, but they have also demonstrated interest in enhancing their roster around the margins. One reported option involves a potential reunion with Gary Payton II. “Bassey fills the 11th slot on the Warriors’ roster. It’s anticipated that Green will eventually fill the 12th spot, and there is mutual interest, league sources said, in bringing Gary Payton II back,” ESPN’s Anthony Slater wrote.
While reactivating Payton II would not match the franchise-altering impact of adding Davis, it would signal to James that Golden State is dedicated to constructing a complete roster. Bringing in another seasoned veteran would also bolster the second unit and potentially keep James engaged as he weighs his options. Payton II has earned more than $33 million over his NBA career and captured his sole championship with the Warriors. A reunion would strengthen Golden State’s depth and could help maintain James’s interest as he continues to evaluate his next move.