NBA: Draymond Green Expects Warriors’ Departure If LeBron James Heads To Golden State In Free Agency
After failing to dethrone the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James is expected to make another controversial decision in the upcoming offseason. In the past months, multiple signs have pointed out that James will leave his hometown team and chase for another championship somewhere else. Stephen A. Smith of ESPN recently named seven NBA teams where James could potentially sign in free agency.
These include the Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, and the Miami Heat. Of all the teams Smith mentioned, the Warriors prove to be the most intriguing free agency destination for LeBron James.
“LeBron James will have a conversation with the Golden State Warriors this summer,” Smith said, as reported by Yahoo Sports. “That is one of the teams that he will have a conversation with. That’s right. I said it. I’m telling you what I know.”
Seeing James in a Golden State jersey will undeniably make the 2018-19 NBA season more predictable than the previous seasons. The combination of James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green will make the Warriors an unbeatable team. However, bringing “King James” to the Bay Area won’t be as simple as anyone thinks, especially since the Warriors are already buried deep in luxury tax hell.
All the tales — legacy, free agency, injury — from what might (or might not) have been LeBron James’ last night as a Cleveland Cavalier —> https://t.co/EjyTc0URWa
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 9, 2018
In a recent interview, Warriors forward Draymond Green discussed the possibility of LeBron James signing with Golden State as a free agent this summer. Green believes he’ll no longer be a member of Golden State if LeBron-to-Warriors happens.
“I think if LeBron James went to the Golden State Warriors then there would be a high possibility I won’t be here,” Green said, as tweeted by Kenny Ducey of Sports Illustrated.
What Green was saying is no joke since, in order to make the impossible possible, the Warriors will need to convince the Cavaliers to engage in a sign-and-trade deal. Green is expected to be part of the trade package that will be sent to Cleveland for LeBron James. The Warriors may also need to include Klay Thompson for the potential deal to push through.
The Cavaliers will surely love the idea of trading LeBron James for Green and Thompson than lose him in free agency without getting anything in return. Even without James, both All-Stars could still make the Cavaliers a team to fear in the Eastern Conference next season. However, after winning a back-to-back NBA championship, and three of the last four, it remains a big question if the Warriors are interested in breaking up their core, even if it means acquiring the best player on the planet.
