One Detail of LeBron James to the Warriors Fans Aren't Talking About

Are the Los Angeles Lakers offering LeBron James in trade talks to the Golden State Warriors?

Jan 27, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (right) talk after the game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The 2025 NBA free agency didn't have the bang that many were expecting, but on Friday, fans were treated to a bit of news that had many excited.

NBA insider Jake Fischer revealed that the Golden State Warriors have called the Los Angeles Lakers on multiple occasions to see if they could pair LeBron James with Steph Curry.

"I'm told that the Warriors have called the Lakers on multiple occasions over the past 18 months to see whether there is any trade pathway to pairing James with Stephen Curry, who roughly a year ago at this time was teaming with LeBron for the United States senior men's national team on its run to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics," Fischer said. "

May 10, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles the basketball against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) during the fourth quarter in game five of the 2023 NBA playoffs conference semifinals round at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

"After all those NBA Finals clashes. James and Curry were said to greatly enjoy their experience as teammates on the international stage … with Golden State's Steve Kerr, of course, serving as their Olympic coach," Fischer added.

What is the Detail Fans are Missing?

The fact that the Golden State Warriors have called the Lakers multiple times insinuates two different scenarios. One, they really want LeBron James on their team, and two, the Los Angeles Lakers have quietly made LeBron James available for trade talks.

Currently, LeBron James is in the final year of his two-year contract with the Lakers, and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026-27. It would make sense for the Los Angeles Lakers to make him available in trade talks, but it would also be shocking at the same time. For how much James has done for the Lakers, trading him could be somewhat disrespectful.

At the same time, where there's smoke, there's fire. The Golden State Warriors would not just call the Lakers numerous times if there was not actually a possibility of James being traded - an underrated component about the entire situation.

Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Would LeBron James on the Warriors Make Them Contenders?

As it stands, the Golden State Warriors should already be considered a contender. After the addition of Jimmy Butler, the Warriors immediately catapulted into a top team in the Western Conference. Even with the addition of James, they would still have one central problem.

May 2, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after being fouled against the Houston Rockets in the third quarter of game six of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Regardless of whether or not the Warriors add LeBron James, the entire team hinges on the health of Steph Curry - a cold, hard fact that was perfectly illustrated against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs last season.