LeBron James to the Golden State Warriors has been a rising topic in recent days. Betting odds have turned in their favor, anonymous NBA executives think it’s a natural fit too, Steph Curry’s making pitches at celebrity golf events, and even Steve Kerr jokingly acknowledged all the headlines by telling a fan “We got him,” at a stoplight.
But despite all the momentum seemingly pointing towards the Bay Area, ESPN’s Shams Charania poured cold water on that sentiment in his latest report.
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During a segment on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday, Charania asserted his belief that the Warriors are behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers as contenders to sign the league’s all-time leading scorer.
“The issue I think with LeBron James, when you look at that team with the Warriors: if he’s there, is that team good enough?” Charania said. “I think that’s the big question. … If you add LeBron James to the Cavaliers, that’s a hole at the three position that they need. You add him to the Sixers, he slides right into the starting lineup. That’s a contender. Cavs, contender. Heat, complete contender the moment he gets there.
“The Warriors would need a little bit of work still.”
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Golden State’s original plan this offseason was reportedly to sign James and make a trade with the Washington Wizards for Anthony Davis, reuniting the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2020 championship duo and pairing them alongside Curry to give their star one last serious push for a fifth NBA title.
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That fell apart when the Wizards made it clear they have no interest in sending Davis anywhere, leaving Mike Dunleavy and co. to continue their pursuit of James singularly.
That, Charania says, keeps the Warriors from being true contenders even if they sign James and what ultimately pushes them back in the running for his services.
“So far, we’re 16 days into July and there’s been no real traction on any trade conversation the Warriors have had on AD or any other star,” he told McAfee. “… The Sixers literally got on the map the moment they got Jaylen Brown. They were not even in the picture. Such as goes to show, you make moves, you can get LeBron James’s attention especially in this free agency.”
James did a live podcast of “Mind the Game” with Tyrese Haliburton at Fanatics Fest in New York but avoided showing any signs of which way he might be leaning on his looming decision.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Latest LeBron James rumor is horrible news for Warriors
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