LeBron leaves Lakers: Will he join Stephen Curry and the Warriors?

LeBron James has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he will not return next season, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. While his next destination remains unknown, The King could be headed to the Golden State Warriors to team up with Stephen Curry in what would be one of the most extraordinary partnerships in NBA history.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer would be joining the very player who was once his greatest rival, the man who tormented him for years and faced him in the NBA Finals in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 during the unforgettable Cavaliers-Warriors rivalry. Two of the defining athletes of their generation, not just in basketball but in all of sports, would unite on the team that built the NBA’s last great dynasty: four championships in five Finals appearances, 72 wins, countless records. It would be a move for the history books, one capable of shaking up the entire league.

Where is LeBron going after he leaves the Lakers?

For now, though, LeBron has no destination. He has simply told the Lakers that he is not retiring but also will not be returning, bringing to an end the longest stint of his career with a single team: eight seasons, including the 2020 championship won inside the NBA bubble in Florida.

The Lakers now head into an offseason focused on building their future around Luka Dončić. They expected LeBron to remain, but he was no longer the organization’s top priority, either financially or strategically. A reunion had remained a realistic possibility, but in recent hours the idea of a fresh start gathered significant momentum. The destination everyone is talking about happens to be just a few hundred miles away, without even leaving California. With LeBron’s departure, and the expected exit of Marcus Smart, the Lakers would have up to €52 million available when free agency opens. It remains to be seen how they use that flexibility.

Why the Warriors? Recent moves offer some clues.

Draymond Green declined a player option worth nearly $30 million, creating additional salary flexibility for a potential LeBron signing. James, meanwhile, wanted Anthony Davis to be part of the team, the same teammate with whom he won the 2020 NBA championship in Los Angeles. To make that possible, Golden State moved the injured Jimmy Butler.

If everything came together, the Warriors would roll out a lineup featuring LeBron, Curry, Davis and Draymond Green. It would be one of those fantasy “video game” teams that always seem too unrealistic to exist outside NBA 2K. Except this time, it would be happening in real life.

LeBron would arrive in the Bay Area approaching his 42nd birthday and entering his 24th NBA season. He is already the league’s all-time leader in games played, seasons played, points scored and just about every other longevity record imaginable.

How old is Curry now?

Curry will turn 39 and will be entering his 18th NBA season. He is the greatest three-point shooter in league history and owns just about every record that comes with it.

Draymond Green will be 37 during his 15th NBA campaign. He owns the Warriors’ franchise record for triple-doubles and is also known for talking the most, creating the most controversy, picking the most fights and, some would argue, getting into the most physical confrontations.

Anthony Davis will turn 34 in what will also be his 15th NBA season. He still holds the record for the most points ever scored in an NBA All-Star Game, is instantly recognizable for his trademark unibrow and, unfortunately, has also developed a reputation for injuries.

The question is obvious: would these Warriors actually have a chance to win another championship, the fifth for LeBron and another for the Golden State dynasty?

The simple answer is probably no, especially considering the franchise’s recent trajectory. Time has taken its toll, and the Warriors have increasingly built around aging stars, with LeBron potentially becoming the latest addition to that collection.

Still, much like the Rolling Stones, this team would sell out every arena it visited. Fans would flock to see them, they would produce plenty of viral highlights and capture the imagination of the basketball world before eventually running into younger, stronger opponents in the playoffs, assuming they make it that far.

Beyond any realistic title hopes, seeing LeBron James and Stephen Curry on the same team would be a dream for the NBA’s storytellers. The league has always thrived on narratives like these, and this would be one of the biggest of them all. Everything else, for better or worse, would fit inside that story.

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