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For a while, the Golden State Warriors and their passionate fan base believed they had a chance to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks.
While the Warriors were never deemed frontrunners for Antetokounmpo, they were consistently linked to the two-time MVP in eye-opening trade rumors, especially during the 2025-26 season.
Ultimately, though, the Miami Heat poached Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee on Monday in one of the biggest deals of the summer thus far. What does the news mean for the Dubs? They must turn their attention to their Plan B superstar targets. LeBron James is a highly touted free agent whom Golden State appears interested in.
Based on a recent report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Warriors have a decent shot of bringing him to the Bay this summer.
“They (Los Angeles Lakers) have been very active in doing the trade aspect of all of this,” Charania stated Friday. “My understanding is there hasn’t been an offer out to LeBron James yet as far as his free agency.”
Charania added that it’ll be fascinating to see how the rest of the offseason plays out for both parties.
“We’ll see what the priorities are for every side. How much do the Lakers prioritize LeBron James, how much does LeBron James prioritize LA.”
From the sounds of it, the Lakers, who have first dibs on James to start the offseason, aren’t 100% positive that retaining the four-time NBA champion is in their best interest. Keeping Austin Reaves in the fold was Los Angeles’ top priority, as they wasted little time signing him to a four-year, $185 million contract extension.
The Warriors’ $15.1 million full non-taxpayer midlevel exception for James could come in handy, as it would allow them to get a foot in the door and ensure an offer is officially on the table. Would James accept it?
Maybe, maybe not, but the Warriors' odds of pairing Stephen Curry with arguably the best player of all time are more viable than before Charania's Friday morning intel.
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