The Golden State Warriors have accepted defeat when it comes to their top offseason goal, which would have seen them trade for Anthony Davis from the Washington Wizards and sign LeBron James in free agency. The Wizards have made it clear they aren’t interested in trading Davis, but the Dubs remain in hot pursuit of James on the open market.
For a point in time, it seemed increasingly likely that James was going to sign with Golden State, but the buzz linking him to this team has disappeared. That doesn’t mean the Dubs are done pursuing James, though. In fact, according to a new report, it sounds like Draymond Green, one of James’ close friends, is making a hard pitch to him as the Warriors continue to attempt to sign him in free agency.
Draymond Green Actively Recruiting LeBron James to Join the Warriors
Listen to our Summer League coverage: t.co/jnEcXNELrs
After months of rumors swirling around him and the Los Angeles Lakers, James let his longtime team know that he would be departing in free agency this offseason. That has sparked another bidding war for his services, with the Warriors being one of the top potential landing spots for the future Hall of Famer.
Golden State needs to get Stephen Curry more help, so who better to bring to town than his biggest adversary? Curry and James have engaged in several epic duels throughout the course of their careers, and fans have long dreamed of seeing them play on the same team. This offseason, the Warriors have found themselves with a real shot at making that happen.
The problem is that several other teams (such as the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers) have compelling cases to sign James, too. Green, who is also testing the waters of free agency, knows this, which is why he is reportedly actively recruiting James to join the Warriors, even as their hopes of signing him seem to be fading.
“They’re really close friends, and I’m sure Draymond is doing everything he can to recruit LeBron James to the Warriors,” NBA insider Shams Charania said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “I think that is 100% what is going on here. Draymond, to my knowledge, is fully committed to going back to Golden State.”
Warriors Hoping to Bring LeBron James to Town
GettyLeBron James leads the way in NBA rumors around free agency.
All the rumors linking Green and James to a potential team-up as they navigate the waters of free agency have led some folks to wonder if Green could leave the only team he’s played for in the NBA and follow James to whichever team he signs with. For all intents and purposes, though, he appears to still be committed to the Warriors.
Golden State knows it has some work to do to finish building up their roster, but they need to know whether or not James will be signing with them before they figure out what the rest of their offseason looks like. Green is doing his part when it comes to trying to find a way to bring James to town, but it remains to be seen if his efforts will be enough to get the job done for the Dubs.
Insider Drops Truth Bomb on Warriors Star Draymond Green’s Pitch to LeBron James