The possibility of LeBron James finishing his career alongside Stephen Curry continues to gain traction, and one prominent NBA voice believes the Golden State Warriors may now be the favorite to land the future Hall of Famer.
Speaking on the latest episode of his podcast, Bill Simmons made a bold prediction about James’ future as the NBA offseason begins.
“Before we get to Giannis, LeBron, what happens with that is a good one,” Simmons said. “This one is a really fun one because the Warriors are really in play now, like for real. I really feel like if I had to bet my life on a team, I’d think I would bet on them.”
While Simmons offered no direct reporting, his comments echo a rumor that has lingered for years, fueled by repeated indications that Warriors owner Joe Lacob and the front office have explored the possibility of bringing James to the Bay Area.
The four-time NBA champion is entering free agency after completing his eighth season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Although many around the league still expect James to either return to Los Angeles or potentially finish his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Warriors have emerged as a legitimate dark-horse contender.
James and Curry have developed a strong relationship through multiple All-Star appearances and their time together with Team USA, most recently helping lead the Americans to Olympic gold under the coaching of Warriors coach Steve Kerr
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently gave the Lakers a slight edge in the race to retain James, estimating a 51 percent chance he remains in Los Angeles. However, Windhorst also identified Golden State as the team to watch if James decides to leave.
“I’d watch Golden State,” Windhorst said on The Pat McAfee Show. “He played with Steph Curry and Steve Kerr in the Olympics. You know he’s close with Draymond Green.”
The challenge, of course, is making the finances work.
Golden State already has significant money committed to Curry and Jimmy Butler, making it difficult to add another max-level contract without substantial roster changes. That reality may be that James would need to accept a significant pay cut if he hopes to join the Warriors.
No public indication has emerged from either James or his longtime representative Rich Paul regarding his offseason plans, but Windhorst reported that James is not expected to simply accept a discounted deal, with the Lakers needing to justify any offer below the maximum salary.
The Warriors may need to make a similar pitch to attract the 41 year old, where they have a big advantage While the Lakers have fully and publically turned their attention to building around Luka Doncic for the future, the Warriors are making a significant push to get Curry his fifth championship ring.
For now, a Curry-James partnership remains speculation. But with Simmons publicly predicting Golden State as the most likely destination, one of the NBA’s longest-running will-they-won’t-they continues to gain momentum.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
