One prominent writer in the NBA community believes that one of the Golden State Warriors’ top stars will work hard to try and recruit Lebron James this summer following his suggestion that he could retire from the sport.
NBA scoring king Lebron James stunned the basketball world after the Los Angeles Lakers’ elimination from the NBA Playoffs on Monday night when he revealed that he needed some time to ponder if he truly wanted to return to the sport in 2023-2024.
It was the first time in the legend’s 20-year career that he publicly pondered retirement, but it wasn’t a strange thought at 38 years old and with thousands of minutes of NBA miles on his body.
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Since then, some have speculated if he is truly unsure about playing another season in the NBA, or if it is just a power play to ensure the Los Angeles Lakers do what is necessary to build a championship team this summer. The future Hall-of-Famer has leveraged his influence in the past, especially in LA. And with a very small window for him to win another title after coming up in the conference finals, it is a plausible possibility.
Could Golden State Warriors legend Draymond Green be recruiting Lebron James?
While it seems unlikely that James could leave LA this summer, it isn’t completely impossible in today’s game where elite stars force their way to other teams all the time. On Tuesday, popular The Ringer NBA writer Kevin O’Connor delved into the possible outcomes following Lebron James’ comments and explained why he believes a specific Golden State Warriors great may see an opportunity in this unique moment.
“How soon until Draymond Green begins recruiting LeBron to the Warriors? Did it happen as soon as LeBron stepped off the podium Monday night? Will it happen before the Finals begin next Thursday? No one needs a source to tell you those conversations will happen if they haven’t already, given Draymond’s love for LeBron, the Klutch [Sports] connection, and his history of recruiting.
“Interest between LeBron and the Warriors could be mutual. LeBron is BFFs with Draymond and he’s already said that Steph Curry is the current player he’d most like to play with.”
– Kevin O’Connor
While the idea seems outrageous, we can’t forget that the Golden State Warriors acquired Kevin Durant at his peak several years ago, despite having won a title already with the trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green.
Acquiring James is the sort of bold move the team has done in the past, and if he wants out, players like Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, and a boatload of picks could be a solid return for the aging icon.
It also isn’t completely out of the question that Green somehow joins James in LA with him expected to opt out of the final year of his current contract next month.