Warriors reportedly need $175M saving grace to sign LeBron James for Steph Curry, Draymond Green

The Golden State Warriors are trying to position themselves for one final run at an NBA championship. With Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Steve Kerr nearing the end of their current window, the franchise is pursuing some of the biggest names available this offseason.

One of those names is LeBron James, who remains the most intriguing player on the market. The Warriors have been heavily linked to James throughout the offseason, and Green is reportedly meeting with him this week.

“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.

Golden State's interest in James has been well documented. The Warriors have also been connected to a potential trade for Anthony Davis as they look to reshape their roster.

“The Golden State Warriors are planning a pursuit of LeBron James in free agency and Anthony Davis via trade this week, league sources told ESPN's Shams Charania, opening up the flexibility for such a possibility after Draymond Green declined his $27.6 million player option Monday morning,” ESPN’s Anthony Slater wrote.

However, a week into free agency, optimism appears to be fading. Recent reports suggest the Warriors may not have a realistic path to signing James unless they can first acquire Davis.

“The Warriors now believe they are out of the LeBron James sweepstakes unless they trade for Anthony Davis, per Shams Charania. After making acquiring LeBron their top offseason priority, Golden State’s plans could soon be unraveling,” NBA reporter Evan Sidery wrote.

From Golden State's perspective, trading for Davis would come at a significant cost. The Warriors would likely have to part with several key pieces to complete a deal, making it a major gamble for a franchise attempting to maximize its remaining championship window.

Davis is currently on a $175 million contract, meaning Golden State would have to make significant financial and roster adjustments to acquire him. As each day passes, it feels like the Warriors' chances of landing James continue to diminish. Still, if the reports are accurate, acquiring Davis may be the clearest path available for Golden State to keep its pursuit of James alive.

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