Warriors getting ready to make a 'splash' but it won't be for LeBron James or Anthony Davis

LeBron James's free agency has been moving incredibly slowly since he told the Lakers he wasn't returning, and Rich Paul has been running the show from the agent's chair. He and his team are putting together a whiteboard of "realistic" landing spots and controlling the flow of information while the league guesses at where his client lands. 

Golden State Warriors were one of the first teams mentioned on that board, and for a while looked like a real frontrunner. But now, the league no longer views them as a threat.

The Warriors entered the offseason with an ambitious plan to keep Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, sign James, and trade with Washington for Anthony Davis. Green even opted out of his $27.7 million contract to clear the necessary cap space, while the front office ignored other free agents to save their assets.

But the AD trade collapsed because the Wizards refused to move him. Without that second star, league insiders are realistic about the team's bleak situation. Golden State wanted a major roster upgrade, but pairing James and Davis in the Bay Area is now highly unlikely.

"The Warriors want to make a splash," ESPN reported. "That splash could still come, but it looks unlikely that it'll be in the form of James and Davis. And the Warriors currently look like the worn-out version of last season's roster — one that didn't make the playoffs."

Their only addition so far is rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, drafted 11th overall from the Michigan Wolverines. While he has talent, a rookie will not move the needle for aging veterans like Curry, Green, and Jimmy Butler.

This puts GM Mike Dunleavy in a tough spot. By holding onto his draft picks and staying out of trade talks for Kawhi Leonard or Jaylen Brown, he is banking on better health and luck for a roster that went 37-45 last year. 

Insiders even suggested Dunleavy might try convincing James to sign now on the promise that the front office would try trading for Davis at the February deadline. But for now, they are empty-handed because they do not have LeBron, they do not have Davis, and they have not added anyone new of substance. 

The major roster upgrade Dunleavy wants is still out there, but it will not come from the two superstars they built their entire offseason around.

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