Warriors Are Reportedly Plotting an Anthony Davis Trade in Bold Bid to Lure LeBron James to Golden State

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors are exploring an ambitious plan to bring LeBron James to the Bay Area this offseason, and according to a new report, the centerpiece of that strategy involves reuniting him with one of his former championship teammates: Anthony Davis.

NBA analyst and reporter Kevin O'Connor reported in a Yahoo Sports article that the Warriors are attempting to engineer a trade for Washington Wizards big man Anthony Davis, with the ultimate goal of using that move to convince James to leave the Los Angeles Lakers once NBA free agency officially opens Tuesday. According to O'Connor, citing multiple league sources, any trade for Davis would have to include Jimmy Butler, who is currently on an expiring $57 million contract while recovering from a torn ACL, along with significant draft capital. Golden State has two future first-round picks and four first-round pick swaps available to use in such a deal.

The pitch to James, according to the report, would center on reassembling pieces of his championship past while adding a new supporting cast of stars. By bringing back Davis, the Warriors would be offering James a chance to reunite with the center who helped him win an NBA title with the Lakers in 2020, while also pairing him with longtime friends and rivals Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, all under head coach Steve Kerr, in pursuit of one final championship run.

James and Davis were traded for and instantly clicked as teammates, leading the Lakers to the NBA championship in their very first season together in the Orlando bubble. Davis remained with the Lakers for several seasons afterward before being dealt to the Dallas Mavericks last February in the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Dončić to Los Angeles. Davis was later traded again midway through this past season, this time landing with the Washington Wizards.

Whether Washington has any genuine appetite to move Davis remains a significant open question. The Wizards just selected AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA draft and recently locked up guard Trae Young on a four-year, $212 million contract extension, signaling a clear intent to build their long-term core. Despite swirling trade speculation, Wizards general manager Will Dawkins addressed Davis' future directly during an appearance on ESPN's draft broadcast.

"He wants to be here. We want him here," Dawkins said, adding that the two sides plan to discuss a contract extension in the middle of August once Davis becomes formally eligible.

Davis is set to become eligible for a four-year, $275 million max extension on Aug. 6, a number that would reset if he were traded before then, since players are ineligible to sign a new max deal until six months after a trade becomes official under the league's collective bargaining agreement. That detail alone complicates any urgency for the Wizards to move quickly on a deal involving Davis, even as suitors circle.

Multiple obstacles stand between the Warriors and pulling off such a trade. Davis is owed $58.5 million next season and will turn 34 next March, and his recent injury history has been extensive since his departure from Los Angeles. Adding the veteran big man alongside a 41-year-old James would do little to address Golden State's already aging roster, a concern that has shadowed the Warriors' roster-building decisions in recent seasons. There's also the matter of Butler, who turns 37 in September and has reached the NBA Finals twice in recent years with the Miami Heat; it remains unclear whether he would have any interest in joining a rebuilding Washington team as part of an Anthony Davis trade, particularly while working his way back from a torn ACL.

Washington may also have other suitors to consider if it does ultimately decide to engage in trade talks involving Davis. According to reporting circulated around the league, the Portland Trail Blazers could pivot their attention toward Davis after missing out on Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason, though Portland has also been linked to forward Jaylen Brown. The presence of multiple win-now teams interested in Davis could give Washington additional leverage if the Wizards choose to field offers.

The Warriors' interest in landing a third superstar to pair with Curry and Green is not new territory for the front office. Golden State has pursued several marquee names in recent years without success, including Paul George, Lauri Markkanen, Pascal Siakam, Kevin Durant, Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard. The team's pursuit of Butler last year only materialized after Durant showed no interest in a reunion with the Warriors, underscoring a pattern of the front office aiming high and adjusting when those efforts fall short.

As for James himself, his path forward remains unsettled. ESPN's Shams Charania reported last week that the Lakers have not yet made a contract offer to their longtime superstar, leaving open the possibility that James could explore other options once free agency begins. Should he choose to continue playing rather than retire, reports have indicated he may need to sign for the veteran's mid-level exception, a deal worth a little over $15 million, regardless of which franchise ultimately lands him.

For now, the Warriors' pursuit of both Davis and James remains squarely in the speculation phase, with significant financial and logistical hurdles standing between Golden State and the kind of star-studded reunion the front office appears to be chasing. Whether this latest blockbuster scenario becomes reality or simply joins the list of trades the Warriors have previously pursued and failed to complete will likely become clearer in the days ahead as free agency officially gets underway.