The LeBron James sweepstakes have officially taken over the offseason as the biggest domino still to fall.
James has a list of suitors to choose from, and while the Golden State Warriors are still one of the squads reportedly in the mix, they're no longer considered a frontrunner.
According to multiple reports, the Warriors' best chance to regain any momentum to sign James in free agency stems from the team's ability to potentially make a blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis, a former teammate with whom James has made it clear he has interest in reuniitng with.
All that to say, the Washington Wizards stand between Golden State's dream big four of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, James, and Davis.
Warriors re-engaged on potential Anthony Davis trade
Washington previously shut down any noise surrounding a potential trade for Davis, and that seemed to put the noise to rest for at least a couple of weeks.
That was when the Warriors thought there was still hope for landing LBJ without making another big addition.
Since then, the Miami Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown suddenly became a Philadelphia 76er, and the opportunity to return to the place his career started has quietly put the Warriors in an unlikely place.
Which leads us to ESPN Insider Shams Charania suggesting that Golden State believes unless they can acquire AD from Washington, there's no real chance to land James anymore.
Golden State has re-engaged with the Wizards on what a potential deal would look like for Davis, and the asking price alone should all but put that possibility to rest.
Shams on the Warriors needing AD to lure LeBron to Golden State:
— TheWarriorsTalk (@TheWarriorsTalk) July 7, 2026
“I think the Warriors believe they’re not up on that list unless they’re able to package for Anthony Davis.” pic.twitter.com/RdB9NPqmUq
Washington reportedly would only move Davis for a package centered around Jimmy Butler III's expiring contract, alongside multiple first-round picks, multiple second-round picks, and an abundance of pick swaps.
It's fair to question why the Wizards have Davis priced so high, especially after they landed him from the Dallas Mavericks for a package that looks terrible where we stand today, but that's the point.
Washington doesn't have any motivation to move Davis. The Wizards want the two-way start to be a part of their future, and they have high hopes for where he can lead the young core alongside Trae Young moving forward.
The Warriors could stun everybody, including the Wizards, by meeting this insane price, but the likelihood of that happening is slim.
If they did, well, that would be a questionable move on their part that would only make the Wizards at least consider moving on from Davis.
It's safe to say, though, the Wizards won't move Davis unless they receive an offer they can't refuse.
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