Why LeBron James Didn't Join Forces with Steph Curry, Warriors Revealed in New NBA Rumors

LeBron James may have been interested in playing with Stephen Curry but not with the Golden State Warriors when making his free agency decision this offseason, according to ESPN's Anthony Slater.

Slater reported Tuesday on ESPN's NBA Today Warriors "were never ultimately considered" by James before he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.

"I had a source tell me they think LeBron would have been more interested in playing with Steph Curry elsewhere, away from the Warriors, than actually going to the Warriors, just because of the history," he said. "And they think that's part of the reason they were never ultimately considered."

Slater added the Warriors are "fine running back" their core next season.

The news comes after ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday that Draymond Green had re-signed with Golden State after initially opting out of his contract "to give the Warriors flexibility to pursue LeBron James."

Green's one-year, $27.7 million deal matches the player option he declined in June.

The announcement came days after James agreed to join the Sixers on a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option.

Slater's report follows Green saying on Tuesday's episode of The Draymond Green Show he felt James' "history" with the Warriors had impacted his free agency decision.

"I ultimately don't think Bron was ever able to get over the history, and I understand it... He's going to get crushed if he comes to the Warriors. 'Ah, man, you had to team up with Steph,'" Green said.

Green concluded, "I think ultimately that weighed in on the decision a lot... for sure, had he come to the Warriors, would have been something that everyone would have tried to use to tear his legacy down."

Prior to James signing his contract, Charania named the Warriors as one of five teams alongside the Sixers, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves that thought they had a shot at signing James.

According to Slater, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he "didn't even think we were realistically in the running for LeBron."

"It's just that everyone kept saying we were," Kerr said, per Slater. "It never seemed serious to me despite all the reports."

The Sixers will now enter the 2026-27 season with title aspirations after adding James and Jaylen Brown while the Warriors will look to run things back for at least one more season with Kerr, Green and Curry.