You've heard this maxim before. Death, taxes, and speculation about LeBron James' next move in a contract season. The only true guarantees in this life.
Even in Year 23, James is a good enough basketball player to warrant people like myself spending hours contemplating what he may bring to a contending team.
Back when he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers, everyone was wondering whether he would go to the Miami Heat. Then when he was with the Heat, people thought he'd go back to Cleveland. And then when things got stale there, the prophecy fulfilled itself and the James became a member of the greatest franchise in league history.
Since he joined the Los Angeles Lakers, though, the rhetoric has shifted toward James potentially teaming up with Stephen Curry on one of the few organizations that has had (arguably) more success than Lakers. And it seems, with James' impending free agency, that those rumors are still alive and well, per reports from NBA Insider Marc Stein.
LeBron and the Warriors is an oddly perfect pairing
A potential partnership between James and the Golden State Warriors is too poetically just overlook. On one hand, you have the most influential player of the last two decades, and, on the other, you have the team most responsible for the way basketball is played today. Both are dying brands desperately hoping to capture lightning in the bottle one last time.
The Lakers have been playing much better of late, but they are still just 14th in net rating. With obstacles like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs standing in their path, a trip to the NBA Finals seems nearly impossible. Plus, if they have another abbreviated postseason stint, Los Angeles will likely want to pivot off the James/Luka Doncic duo and look to build around the Slovenian star at the peak of his powers.
Meanwhile, the Warriors are in serious danger of finishing under .500 for just the second time since 2012. Their three best players (Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler) are all 35 years or older. Any "window" they have left needs to be maximized next season when Butler (hopefully) returns from the ACL injury he suffered in January.
With all the money they have allocated toward Curry, Green, and Butler next season (roughly 89 percent -- barring Green exercising his player option, per Spotrac), Golden State doesn't really have the finances to upgrade their roster. Given his relationship with Curry and Green, James could be convinced to sign with them for a bargain rate.
To me, this addition still wouldn't be enough to push the Warriors to true contention status, even if all four of them stay healthy. James has been ridiculously good for his age (95th in Estimated Plus-Minus), but he still is 41 years old. Even if James goes full throttle in a 3-and-D capacity, he isn't a good enough lateral mover at this point in time to give the Warriors what they truly need.
It is worth noting that James has also been linked to the Cavaliers (again). Still, with all the narrative opportunities that could come with these two failing states joining forces, maybe it is a good thing that the "LeBron to the Warriors" rumors are still going.