The Golden State Warriors are coming off a relatively dismal showing in the 2025-26 season. After failing to secure a playoff berth, it was evident that the front office would be under immense pressure to make the necessary improvements in the offseason. Still, there is some room to speculate that their plans may be quite ambitious.
When examining the current core, it is abundantly clear that the Dubs do not have the assets to contend for a title. In light of this, many players have been positioned as potential targets in the offseason. However, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, the Warriors have set their sights much higher, as he wrote:
“There’s a moment in every aging franchise when the studio starts adding famous old faces to the poster, and nostalgia starts doing all of the work. That is, apparently, the offseason plan for the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors are attempting to trade for Wizards big Anthony Davis and then sign Lakers free agent forward LeBron James, according to multiple league sources.”
The Warriors’ interest in signing LeBron James comes as no surprise. Earlier reports had already highlighted Golden State’s intentions of pursuing the 41-year-old in free agency. To that note, speculation about Stephen Curry‘s plans to meet with James this summer only fanned the flames.
While there have also been rumors about Golden State’s interest in acquiring Anthony Davis, O’Connor suggested that this pursuit may be an attempt to lure James to join them in free agency.
“Sources say the Warriors hope adding Davis would help lure LeBron from Los Angeles to the Bay Area once free agency officially opens on June 30. The pitch would be simple: reunite with AD, team up with Steph Curry and Draymond Green, play for Steve Kerr, and chase one more championship with a roster of legends,” O’Connor mentioned.
The rationale is sound. The duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis enjoyed championship success during their first season together on the Lakers. Although their partnership yielded only one title run, it is safe to say they were a dominant duo.
How Can The Warriors Acquire Anthony Davis?
Currently, Anthony Davis finds himself partnered with Trae Young on the Washington Wizards. Although reports indicated that Davis is committed to playing for Washington, recent updates may suggest the Wizards could explore trade alternatives.
On that note, O’Connor also touched on how the Warriors could acquire Davis, briefly shedding light on their trade assets, stating:
“A trade for Davis would have to include Jimmy Butler, who is on an expiring $57 million contract while recovering from a torn ACL. The Warriors would also have to include draft capital. They have two future firsts and four first-round swaps to work with in any deal.”
Financially, this proposal is feasible. When factoring in the sheer size of Davis’ incoming cap hit ($58.4 million), Golden State would have to package Jimmy Butler‘s $56.8 million contract, along with several draft picks, to counterbalance it. With rumors indicating the Dubs’ inclination to part with Butler, this approach also aligns with the team’s plans.
Realistically, the Washington Wizards may not be too inclined to acquire an injured Butler for their superstar. When also considering that they drafted AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick, who could be the face of the franchise, adding a veteran forward may seem counterintuitive.
Hence, even though such an approach is promising, there doesn’t appear to be much likelihood of it succeeding.
All things considered, however, the path to landing LeBron James remains legitimate. With reports indicating that the Dubs are also shifting their attention to other free agents while awaiting James’ decision, there is still hope for key roster upgrades.
