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Steph Curry Responds to Idea of Playing with LeBron James: 'There's a Curiosity'
April 14, 2022
Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry said it's fair to wonder what a partnership with LeBron James would look like if two of the NBA's best players from the current generation teamed up at some point in the future.
James first raised the possibility on The Shop last week, saying Curry was the one active player he'd like to play alongside before his career ends, and while the longtime Dubs stalwart was flattered, calling the comments "phenomenal," he didn't commit to anything.
Perhaps the idea is starting to sink in a bit more because Wednesday on The Draymond Green Show with his Golden State teammate, he expressed some intrigue.
"Obviously there's a curiosity," Curry said. "Like what would that look like?"
The biggest question for LeBron as he moves toward the latter stages of his career is what type of contracts he's going to command, especially if he wants to achieve some personal goals.
James is still playing at an elite level that warrants the two-year, $85.7 million contract he's currently playing under with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he could probably continue to land those types of lucrative, short-term deals until he's ready to retire.
Yet, if he wants to play with Curry or ensure he signs with a team that drafts his son, 2024 draft prospect Bronny James, he may need to make some financial sacrifices.
"My last year will be played with my son," James told Jason Lloyd of The Athletic in February. "Wherever Bronny is at, that's where I'll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It's not about the money at that point."
Of course, James can afford to put basketball priorities ahead of cash flow thanks to a net worth estimated at $850 million by Forbes in August.
It adds some intrigue to his situation after a season where the Lakers fell massively short of expectations with a 33-49 record that wasn't even good enough to qualify for the Western Conference play-in tournament.
James can become an unrestricted free agent in 2023, but it wouldn't be a total surprise if trade rumors pop up this summer if L.A. starts to get a feeling he's planning to test the open market next year.
Meanwhile, Curry is under contract with the Warriors through the 2025-26 season as part of a four-year, $215.4 million extension and is trending toward becoming a one-team player for his entire career. He was drafted by Golden State in 2009.
So, although there are obviously a ton of variables in play, it's clear James is at least considering a plan that would see him chase championships with Curry for a few years before heading to Bronny's squad to close out his Hall of Fame career.
And now it seems like he's got Curry thinking about it, too.