The Golden State Warriors are once again in the middle of the LeBron James trade rumor mill. After multiple attempts in past seasons to pair the Los Angeles Lakers superstar with Stephen Curry, the Warriors now hold the third-best odds (+450) to land James if he is moved before the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, according to Bovada.
The Dallas Mavericks (-120) remain the betting favorite to acquire the four-time MVP, while the Cleveland Cavaliers (+350) — James’ former team — sit in second. The New York Knicks (+550) round out the top four, followed by the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns at +900. The renewed speculation reflects both the uncertainty surrounding LeBron’s future in Los Angeles and Golden State’s long-standing interest in uniting two generational icons in one locker room.
LeBron’s Future Uncertain Amid Lakers Shift to Dončić
After James picked up his $52.6 million player option last summer, his agent’s public comments once again fueled speculation about LeBron’s long-term commitment to the Lakers.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul told ESPN in June. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future … We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career.”
Paul later clarified that no trade request was made, but his remarks came just as Los Angeles officially pivoted toward Luka Dončić as the franchise’s new cornerstone. Dončić signed a three-year, $165 million extension, signaling the Lakers’ long-term direction beyond LeBron.
Now entering the final year of his deal, James — who turns 41 in December — faces an uncertain path. He’s currently sidelined with sciatica and expected to miss three to four weeks, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“LeBron’s gonna be watching while he’s out,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin said on NBA Today. “If they’re struggling, that could lead to the next step — maybe he’s gonna have to go elsewhere to find that winning combination.”
Golden State’s Longstanding Interest in LeBron James
Golden State’s pursuit of James dates back to the 2024 trade deadline, when the Warriors quietly explored the possibility of acquiring him from the Lakers. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Warriors have reached out to the Lakers “multiple times over the past 18 months” regarding James’ availability.
“As long as LeBron James’ future in Los Angeles remains uncertain, Golden State will undoubtedly be mentioned as a potential James suitor,” Fischer wrote in August.
However, those preliminary talks reportedly stalled before gaining traction. Veteran NBA insider Marc Stein later revealed that LeBron’s longtime agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, urged both franchises to abandon the idea to avoid public backlash.
“It is believed the Lakers would have reluctantly entertained trade conversations … if James wanted them to seriously engage Golden State,” Stein reported at the time. “Yet league sources say the reported talks never got that far — in large part because his agent Rich Paul was adamantly opposed.”
Paul’s reasoning, Stein added, was to shield LeBron from criticism for potentially joining his on-court rivals. “Sources say Paul implored both teams to scrap the concept … largely because he wanted to insulate James from potential backlash over switching teams for the fourth time in his career,” Stein wrote.
Olympic Chemistry With Curry
While a Warriors–LeBron union has long been considered improbable, their Olympic partnership at the 2024 Paris Games reignited speculation. Under Team USA head coach Steve Kerr, who also leads the Warriors, James and Curry finally shared the floor as teammates — and thrived together.
James often served as Curry’s facilitator during Team USA’s gold-medal run, creating highlight-reel moments that fueled fans’ imaginations. “All the battles we’ve had … the fact that we actually got to be teammates … I think there’s a deepened respect and friendship there,” Curry told People Magazine in September 2024.
After the Olympics, Curry posted a photo of himself celebrating with James and Kevin Durant, captioned “same team… winning team” — a post that quickly went viral. While Curry avoided directly lobbying for LeBron, his remarks hinted at mutual admiration.
“Hopefully, there will be more experiences in the future, even if we’re teammates or not,” Curry said. “I think we motivated each other even more for however much longer we have left playing.”
What’s Next: Dream Duo or Distant Fantasy?
For now, Golden State’s interest remains speculative, and LeBron’s immediate focus is on returning from injury and assessing the Lakers’ trajectory. Still, the Warriors’ pursuit represents both a basketball fantasy and a strategic gamble: pairing Curry and James could extend Golden State’s title window while offering LeBron one final championship shot.
As Bovada’s latest odds suggest, the idea of LeBron James in a Warriors jersey remains one of the NBA’s most fascinating “what ifs” — and perhaps, one trade deadline twist away from reality.
