[Slater] If negotiations between James and the Los Angeles Lakers break down - and if James goes searching for a new home for his 24th NBA season - the Warriors are a willing suitor, team sources said… League sources said Ballmer has maintained a firm stance against a (Kawhi) Leonard trade
If negotiations between James and the Los Angeles Lakers break down – and if James goes searching for a new home for his 24th NBA season – the Warriors are a willing suitor, team sources said.
But openness does not equal anticipation. All the intel that Warriors decision-makers have gathered continues to point toward James’ return to the Lakers, team sources said, and they are currently plotting their summer under that premise.
The Warriors’ pitch, if the door cracks open, would be simple. They can clear room for the full $15.1 million nontaxpayer midlevel – a team-friendly, low-risk bargain with on-court and off-court financial upside.
James is an obvious top free agent target at that price point. The Warriors could theoretically tack on a second season player option and get Stephen Curry in on the recruitment process, if required. But they haven’t knocked on that door because they’ve been given any indication it can be unlocked.
The Kawhi Leonard option
The Warriors checked in on Leonard in the days leading up to the February trade deadline, as sources told ESPN in the aftermath. The LA Clippers, team sources said, engaged to a greater degree than in the past, but they ultimately returned to the Warriors with the same answer: Team owner Steve Ballmer said no.
Leonard, unlike James, would cost a mix of players and future draft capital and would presumably require a large-scale extension off his current $50.3 million expiring deal, making it a greater long-term gamble.
But team sources continue to indicate he’s the type of established wing talent they would pursue in a win-now maneuver, depending on the price point. The problem: League sources said Ballmer has maintained a firm stance against a Leonard trade, preferring to continue building around his star forward.