According to sources familiar with the matter, the Golden State Warriors made a bold move at the trade deadline, attempting to persuade the Los Angeles Lakers to trade LeBron James to the Bay Area.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne reported that both team owners engaged in discussions in the 24 hours leading up to Thursday’s deadline. However, neither the Lakers nor James showed any interest in entertaining such a significant trade.
It’s reported that Warriors forward Draymond Green played a role in urging owner Joe Lacob to approach Lakers owner Jeanie Buss about a potential deal, citing James’ publicly expressed frustrations. Despite Green’s encouragement, Buss conveyed to Lacob that the Lakers had no intention of parting ways with James, directing him to discuss further with James’ agent.
RELATED: LeBron James Called Out For Lying Over All-Time No-Look Touch Pass
Subsequently, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul informed Lacob and Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. that James had no desire to leave the Lakers and was committed to remaining with the team.
In a 2022 episode of his talk show “The Shop,” James expressed interest in playing alongside Warriors star Stephen Curry. However, despite the possibility of becoming a free agent this summer by declining his $51.4-million player option for the 2024-25 season, James reportedly remains focused on returning to Los Angeles.
James continues to showcase his dominance in the league, maintaining impressive statistics even after more than two decades in the NBA.
With averages of 24.8 points, 7.8 assists, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals, along with shooting 39.5% from beyond the arc, he remains a formidable presence on the court.
