Warriors almost paired LeBron James with Stephen Curry

For years, LeBron James and Stephen Curry have starred in one of the fiercest rivalries in NBA history. James has obviously been around for longer, but Curry won four championships in his watch, tying him in rings in almost no time.

The Golden State Warriors beat LeBron’s Cleveland Cavaliers three out of four times in the NBA Finals, but James spoiled their record-breaking season when they won 73 games.

That’s why it was kind of shocking to see that the Warriors actually wanted to make them go from foes to friends. According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelbourne of ESPN, they tried to trade for him.

Warriors Tried To Trade For LeBron James

“Over a clandestine 24-hour window prior to the trade deadline Thursday that included owner-to-owner conversations, the Golden State Warriors made an unsuccessful bid to convince the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James to consider a trade to pair him with longtime rival Stephen Curry,” reported ESPN.

Stephen Curry and LeBron James

Apparently, it was all Draymond Green’s idea. This isn’t much of a surprise, as Green has often been criticized for his open admiration of his rival, up to the point where he’s even taken down Stephen Curry to uplift him:

“Armed with the encouragement of Warriors star Draymond Green, Golden State owner Joe Lacob reached out to Lakers owner Jeanie Buss to inquire whether James’ apparent public frustration could be interpreted as an opening to discuss a trade,” the report added.

At the end of the day, this could’ve been a legacy-killing move for James. He’s already drawn plenty of criticism for teaming up with superstars, so one can only wonder what could’ve happened if he joined his nemesis.

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Still, this could’ve been a match made in heaven. Combining his playmaking and driving with Curry’s unmatched shooting, as well as their postseason experience, would’ve turned the Warriors into the team to beat in the Western Conference.