LeBron James found the Golden State Warriors “appealing for a time” when he was considering his free agency options, but it was contingent on the team trading for Anthony Davis.

James would have had the opportunity to team up with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green with the Warriors after playing against those stars in four consecutive Finals between 2015 and 2018. James and Curry were also teammates for Team USA in 2024 and have developed a fondness for each other years after the peak of their rivalry.

The Washington Wizards have maintained a high asking price for Davis that the Warriors were not prepared to meet as they balance out the final seasons of Curry’s career along with the next chapter following his retirement. The Warriors also would have had to include the expiring contract of Jimmy Butler, who is recovering from a torn ACL.

James chose to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers last week where he gets to compete in the Eastern Conference alongside a trio of All-Stars in Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid, along with second-year guard VJ Edgecombe.