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As the 2025-26 NBA season approaches, reports continue to link LeBron James to the Golden State Warriors. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that Golden State has called the Los Angeles Lakers “multiple times” in an effort to explore a possible trade scenario involving the 40-year-old star.
Fischer detailed the organization’s pursuit.
“I'm told that the Warriors have called the Lakers on multiple occasions over the past 18 months to see whether there is any trade pathway to pairing James with Stephen Curry, who roughly a year ago at this time was teaming with LeBron for the United States senior men's national team on its run to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.”
The Warriors’ interest in James is not new. The possibility has been discussed since before the 2024 trade deadline. Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reiterated earlier this offseason that Golden State owner Joe Lacob has long envisioned pairing James with Curry in San Francisco.
“The same line of thinking relates to LeBron James and his uncertain future. Warriors owner Joe Lacob has long dreamed of bringing James to San Francisco, and they seriously pursued him before the 2024 NBA trade deadline, sources said. The Los Angeles Lakers were willing to talk only if LeBron and his agent, Rich Paul, were open to negotiations. They were not, and so those talks never materialized into anything.”
James, entering his 23rd NBA season and eighth with the Lakers, remains one of the league’s most productive veterans. He averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds and one steal per game last season while shooting 51.3% from the field and 37.6% from three across 70 contests.
Curry, now 37, continues to anchor Golden State after completing his 16th season. He averaged 24.5 points, six assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 44.8% from the field and 39.7% from beyond the arc in 70 appearances.
Warriors’ attempts to pair Stephen Curry and LeBron James remain a persistent storyline
Both franchises reshaped their rosters at last season’s February trade deadline. The Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler III from the Miami Heat in a multi-team deal, while the Lakers executed a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Mavericks to bring Luka Doncic to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis. Those moves positioned both teams as title contenders entering the 2025-26 campaign.
Despite Golden State’s repeated calls, James remains under contract with the Lakers. His status as one of the NBA’s most influential figures ensures that any discussion of his future is closely tied to his willingness to engage in negotiations. To this point, he and his representatives have not signaled interest in leaving Los Angeles.
The Warriors and Lakers are scheduled to open the new season against each other on Oct. 21 at Crypto.com Arena. The matchup will be broadcast on Peacock, showcasing Curry, James, Doncic and Butler in what is expected to be one of the league’s most anticipated opening nights.
Golden State’s pursuit of James underscores the ongoing ambitions of the franchise to maximize its championship window alongside Curry. For the Lakers, retaining James and pairing him with Doncic marks their own push for another title run as the NBA’s new season nears.
