The Golden State Warriors may have an advantage in the LeBron James sweepstakes that goes beyond basketball.
“It’s my almost 12-year-old daughter who is pulling the weight a lot,” James said Thursday while discussing the family side of his impending free-agency decision during CNBC and Boardroom’s Game Plan event with host Rich Kleiman.
Those 12 words offered perhaps the clearest glimpse yet into what is driving James’ thinking as he prepares to leave the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons. They also caught the attention of veteran Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, who believes the comments reinforced one of Golden State’s biggest advantages over the rest of the field.
LeBron Reveals Emotional Conversation With Zhuri
Getty LeBron James greets his daughter, Zhuri, courtside during an NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas. James recently revealed he spoke with Zhuri before free agency and said her feelings are an important part of his decision-making process.
James explained that while Bronny is beginning the next chapter of his NBA career and Bryce is preparing for his freshman season at Arizona after redshirting last year, it is his youngest daughter, Zhuri, whose daily life would be affected most by his next move.
“I have an almost 22-year-old son who is now my former teammate, which is hilarious,” James said. “I have a 19-year-old son who’s at the University of Arizona. But it’s my almost 12-year-old daughter who is pulling the weight a lot.”
James then shared an emotional conversation he had with Zhuri before free agency became public.
“I pulled her to the side and I was like, ‘Baby, I’m letting you know. I don’t want you to hear from nobody else, but I won’t be playing for the Lakers next year. I will be playing somewhere else,'” James recalled.
Rather than simply informing her of his decision, James wanted to know how she felt about him spending even more time away from home.
“‘I won’t be home all the time. And you may not have an answer right now. You can give me an answer now. We can wait; we can write it down. I just want to know how you felt about it because you mean a lot to me. Me being away from you means a lot.'”
James ended that portion of the discussion with a revealing admission.
“So, the family portion is a big thing, too.”
Spears Sees Golden State Holding Unique Edge
Appearing on Willard and Dibs on 95.7 The Game later Thursday, Spears said James’ comments only strengthened his belief that the Warriors remain firmly in the conversation despite widespread expectations that Cleveland is the favorite.
“Daughter’s like middle school, right? Pretty much L.A. is all she’s known,” Spears said. “Wife has been in L.A. They’ve been there for eight years. L.A. is a big part of their life.”
Spears acknowledged that many around the NBA believe James ultimately returns to the Cavaliers, while the Minnesota Timberwolves remain another Western Conference contender.
But geography, he argued, could become a meaningful factor.
Unlike Cleveland, Miami or Philadelphia—and even Minnesota, which would still require a lengthy trip from Southern California—the Warriors would allow James to remain on the West Coast, just a short flight from the Los Angeles home where Savannah, Zhuri and the rest of his family have spent the past eight years.
That proximity, Spears suggested, could make balancing basketball and family considerably easier.
Chris Paul’s Warriors Experience Offers Blueprint
Spears even pointed to Chris Paul’s lone season with Golden State as an example of how that arrangement could work.
“Would it be against the rules for the Warriors to be like, ‘Hey, when practice is over, this plane will take you home for dinner, and they’ll pick you back up and bring you back in the morning for shootaround?'” Spears said.
Paul frequently traveled back to Southern California to spend time with his wife and children during the 2023-24 season.
“He did play a year for the Warriors, and he commuted back and forth, visiting his family, his wife and kids, two kids who were like middle school kids at the time, and his family is extremely important to him as well, and he made it work,” Spears said.
Spears acknowledged that people around the Warriors believe James could ultimately head east, and he noted that Cleveland remains the team many league observers view as the frontrunner.
Still, he isn’t ready to count Golden State out.
“I haven’t given up on the Warriors because of the family aspect,” Spears said. “I think today that part got reinforced by what he said to Rich Kleiman.”
For months, the Warriors’ pitch to James has centered on basketball—a chance to pair with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in pursuit of another championship.
After James’ candid discussion about Zhuri, however, another factor has emerged.
If staying as connected as possible to the family life he and Savannah have built in Los Angeles becomes a deciding factor, Golden State may offer something none of the other reported contenders—including Cleveland and Minnesota—can match: the opportunity to chase one more title without moving too far from home.
Warriors’ Hopes Grow After LeBron James’ Emotional Admission