Warriors Notes: LeBron, Draft, Lendeborg, Burries
While the idea of LeBron James leaving Los Angeles to play for the Warriors still seems like a long shot, it’s a rumor that won’t die until James commits to another team or someone goes on the record to kill it, Monte Poole writes for NBC Sports Bay Area. Reporting from ESPN and The Stein Line earlier this week suggested that Golden State may be the best outside threat to lure James away from the Lakers.
“I know it seems crazy,” a well-connected league source told Poole. “But there is at least curiosity on both sides. This wouldn’t even be a conversation five or six years ago, and it might not happen now, but there’s enough there that we shouldn’t ignore the possibility. It’s mostly up to LeBron.”
The Warriors would have to make significant roster changes or convince the Lakers to accommodate a sign-and-trade in order to offer more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is projected to be worth about $15MM.
Here’s more out of Golden State:
- In a separate story for NBC Sports Bay Area, Poole argues that it would be in the Warriors’ best long-term interests to find a way to turn this year’s No. 11 overall pick into multiple first-rounders by trading down.
- Following up on the news that Yaxel Lendeborg is among the players visiting the Warriors on Thursday, Anthony Slater of ESPN suggests the Michigan star will have an individual workout and in-person meeting with the front office rather than being part of a group workout. Slater adds, citing sources that Lendeborg has “several fans” in Golden State’s front office.
- Lendeborg certainly won’t be the only potential lottery target who works out for the Warriors. According to Slater, Arizona’s Brayden Burries is expected to be among the prospects who visits the team next week.
Giannis Rumors: Heat, Blazers, Celtics, Wolves, Warriors, More
Even though the Heat and Trail Blazers are the only two teams that Jake Fischer of The Stein Line has been able to confirm are in active pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, that doesn’t mean they’re the only two clubs still interested in acquiring the Bucks star, as Fischer writes in his latest subscriber-only story at Substack.
According to Fischer, there have “undeniably been rumbles” about the Celtics‘ potential involvement. While his sources say Boston has yet to seriously engage Milwaukee in trade talks about Antetokounmpo and also hasn’t meaningfully explored sending out Jaylen Brown in a trade, those same sources can’t rule out either scenario as a possibility, Fischer explains.
Antetokounmpo shares a skills coach (Drew Hanlen) with Celtics star Jayson Tatum and has been repeatedly said to have an affinity for Boston as a potential landing spot. Additionally, Brown is a far more accomplished player than anyone in the Heat’s offer, which is why the Celtics are considered a potential Giannis suitor that “genuinely concerns” Miami, Fischer writes.
In fact, the Heat may be more wary of the Celtics’ involvement than the Trail Blazers’ pursuit of Antetokounmpo, given that questions about whether Giannis would sign an extension with the Blazers may dissuade Portland from going all-in for the two-time MVP, Fischer notes.
Here are a few more of the latest rumblings on Antetokounmpo:
- The Timberwolves and Warriors were among the teams pursuing Giannis at February’s trade deadline, but sources tell Fischer that neither Minnesota nor Golden State seems to be a major factor in the Bucks’ recent trade discussions.
- Fischer also hears that there haven’t been any “significant” recent talks between the Bucks and Magic about Antetokounmpo. There was some speculation that Orlando could become a more serious suitor after a disappointing season that culminated in a first-round loss, especially given the team’s connections to Giannis — Magic executives Jeff Weltman and John Hammond were in Milwaukee’s front office when the team drafted the Greek forward, and new head coach Sean Sweeney spent four years with Antetokounmpo as a Bucks assistant coach.
- While the Rockets were once viewed as a potential Antetokounmpo suitor, they hadn’t pursued a deal for Giannis as of a few days ago, a source tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
- One scout told Jackson he thinks the market for Antetokounmpo has been smaller than anticipated. Jackson speculates that the changing value of first-round picks due to the NBA’s draft lottery reform may have made some clubs more reluctant to give up those first-rounders.
- There’s no indication at this point that the Heat would trade center Kel’el Ware on his own or that the Bucks would flip him to another team if he were included in a package for Giannis, but a source who spoke to Jackson suggested that, based on the level of league-wide interest, either team would “very likely” be willing to net a first-round pick for Ware.
Draft Workouts: Lendeborg, Warriors, Brown, Kings, Wolves
The Warriors will host six prospects on Thursday for a pre-draft workout, the team announced (via Twitter). According to Golden State, that group will feature Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg.
Lendeborg is coming off a memorable 2025/26 season in which he was named the Big Ten’s Player of the Year, was named a consensus first-time All-American, and won a national championship with the Wolverines. The 6’9″ forward, who will turn 24 in September, is considered a probable lottery pick and is viewed as perhaps the most NBA-ready player in the 2026 draft class, which could make him an intriguing fit for a Golden State team that holds the 11th overall pick and is looking to make the most of Stephen Curry‘s late 30s.
Besides Lendeborg, Thursday’s workout group will also include Tennessee center Felix Okpara, Utah State guard Drake Allen, Illinois guard Kylan Boswell, South Carolina guard Meechie Johnson, and Ole Miss big man Malik Dia, per the team. Okpara (No. 46 on ESPN’s big board) and Boswell (No. 55) are considered the highest-rated prospects among those five players.
Here are more updates on pre-draft workouts around the NBA:
- Louisville guard Mikel Brown, a projected top-10 pick, has recently met with the Nets and Bucks in Orlando and also has pre-draft visits lined up with the Hawks, Clippers, and Mavericks, according to James Barlowe of NBA Big Board (Twitter link). Each of those clubs holds a pick between No. 5 and No. 10 in this year’s draft.
- The Kings are hosting Marquette guard Chase Ross, San Diego State guard Reese Dixon-Waters, Providence guard Jaylin Sellers, Cal forward Chris Bell, Vanderbilt center Jalen Washington, and George Washington center Rafael Castro for a workout on Thursday, per James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link). While none of those players are top prospects, Castro (No. 73), Washington (No. 85), and Sellers (No. 99) show up on ESPN top 100.
- UConn forward Alex Karaban and St. John’s forward Bryce Hopkins were among the players who worked out for the Timberwolves on Sunday, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SKOR North. Karaban is viewed as a potential first-round pick, coming in at No. 30 on ESPN’s big board, while Hopkins ranks 48th. Minnesota holds the 28th and 59th overall picks in the 2026 draft.
Scotto’s Latest: MPJ, Mann, Wade, Mamukelashvili, Dick
While veteran forward Michael Porter Jr. will be eligible to sign a contract extension with the Nets this offseason, teams around the NBA are also keeping an eye on him as a potential trade candidate, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Porter will turn 28 this month and is entering his ninth year in the NBA, whereas the rebuilding Nets added five rookies to their roster a year ago and are poised to draft another with the No. 6 overall pick on June 23. As Scotto explains, executives across the league aren’t convinced that Porter fits with Brooklyn’s timeline beyond his current contract, which will pay him $40.8MM in 2026/27 before expiring next summer.
According to Scotto, the Warriors were among the teams with interest in Porter at the deadline and considered giving up a first-round pick for him. That deal likely would’ve involved Jonathan Kuminga, who was sent to Atlanta as part of a package for Kristaps Porzingis instead. Based on its cap situation, Golden State isn’t as well positioned this offseason to make another run at Porter unless the team is prepared to move off Jimmy Butler‘s sizable expiring contract as he recovers from an ACL tear.
Scotto adds that Nets guard Terance Mann was involved in those pre-deadline trade discussions, but his involvement in a potential Porter deal would’ve necessitated a third team, which threw a wrench into those negotiations. Mann, who still has two years and $31.5MM left on his own contract, is well-liked in Brooklyn and is considered a positive locker room presence, says Scotto.
Here are a few more highlights from Scotto’s latest round-up of notes and rumors:
- Cavaliers forward Dean Wade, who will be an unrestricted free agent, is expected to draw interest from multiple teams who will have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception available, Scotto reports, pointing out that it could be difficult for a cap-strapped Cleveland team to make a competitive offer. The Cavs were the only club to operate over the second tax apron this past season and won’t have a ton of salary coming off their books if they re-sign James Harden.
- Raptors big man Sandro Mamukelashvili is expected to decline his minimum-salary player option and command a significant raise in unrestricted free agency. According to Scotto, Mamukelashvili has a chance to earn a contract worth a significant chunk of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which has teams wondering whether Toronto will be able to retain him. The Raptors only have Mamukelashvili’s Non-Bird rights, and while they could use their MLE to re-sign him, they have luxury tax concerns to consider.
- Rival executives view Gradey Dick as the Raptors‘ most obvious trade candidate if they look to trim some salary and create more breathing room below the tax line. Dick, who is entering the final year of his rookie scale contract, is coming off a down year but was a regular starter and averaged 14.4 points per game in 2024/25, so the 22-year-old could be viewed as a bounce-back candidate, Scotto notes.
- In case you missed it, we also passed along reporting from Scotto on the Pelicans’ efforts to acquire a lottery pick and the Hornets and Kings discussing Domantas Sabonis.
Latest On LeBron James’ Upcoming Free Agency
TIME Magazine’s newly minted “Athlete of the Century” and cover star LeBron James is headed for unrestricted free agency in a matter of weeks, and while it remains difficult to project his next move, there’s a widespread belief around the NBA that sticking with the Lakers would be his first choice, according to Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Fischer and Stein lay out, James and his family have become “entrenched” in Los Angeles over the course of his last eight years as a Laker, and L.A. – which holds LeBron’s Bird rights – is in a better position than any other team to pay him a favorable salary, even if that number comes in below the $52.6MM he earned this past season.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show earlier this week (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst agreed that re-signing with the Lakers appears to be the most likely outcome for James. However, both he and The Stein Line duo pointed to the Warriors as the primary threat to watch if things don’t work out in L.A.
Golden State remains “legitimately interested” in adding LeBron to its roster, according to Fischer and Stein, who suggest that the Warriors’ pitch to James may involve a plan for him to commute back and forth to some degree between Los Angeles and the Bay Area so he doesn’t have to move – or be away from – his family.
As Windhorst observes, James is close with Draymond Green and enjoyed collaborating with Stephen Curry and head coach Steve Kerr as part of Team USA at the 2024 Olympics. Still, barring a sign-and-trade agreement or a major roster overhaul, the Warriors would be limited to offering LeBron the mid-level exception, which is projected to start around $15MM.
While a reunion between James and the Cavaliers has been a popular subject of speculation, the geographical considerations of a cross-country move, along with Cleveland’s own financial limitations, make that idea look like a longer shot, per Fischer and Stein. Windhorst agrees with that assessment.
“I know that everybody loves the idea of LeBron in Cleveland, (but) Cleveland needs perimeter defense,” Windhorst said. “It would be a great story. He would definitely help them, (but) Cleveland needs interior toughness and perimeter defense. LeBron can do some of that, but I don’t know.
“Also, that would require LeBron to play for three million bucks. And I don’t want to spend his money — if he wants to play for three million, he can do it. But until I hear from (agent) Rich Paul that LeBron is ready to play for three million, I’m not going to believe it.”
Based on their current payroll situation, the Cavaliers would be limited to offering James a minimum-salary contract, which would technically be worth closer to $4MM, but that doesn’t materially change Windhorst’s point. Cleveland would have to significantly reshape its roster to be in position to make LeBron a competitive offer.
Pacific Notes: Kings, Acuff, Flemings, Kerr, Suns, Morant
The Kings control the seventh, 34th and 45th picks in the 2026 NBA draft. They’ve been active in working out prospects and that will continue on Tuesday morning, according to James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link).
Sacramento will be hosting six players tomorrow: Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee), J’Vonne Hadley (Louisville), Jevon Porter (Missouri), Giovanni Emejuru (East Carolina) and Ernest Udeh (Miami). Gillespie is viewed as the top prospect among that group by some outlets, ranking No. 44 on ESPN’s big board.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Several mock drafts last month had the Kings selecting Darius Acuff with the seventh overall pick, but that has changed of late, notes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. That’s not because the Kings aren’t interested in Acuff — the mocks have him coming off the board at No. 5 or No. 6. Instead, those mocks have the Kings drafting Kingston Flemings, another guard who’s a projected lottery pick. A current NBA agent and former scout who spoke to Anderson had Acuff ranked higher than Flemings, calling the latter a “10-year starter” but “not an All-Star.”
- Jerry Stackhouse spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach on Steve Kerr‘s staff before parting ways with the Warriors when his contract expired. He talked about what he learned from Kerr on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back Show (YouTube link), as Will Simonds of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. “I saw how how Steve, you know, he wants conversation,” Stackhouse said in part. “He wants to make sure that you understand — even the coaching staff — just constantly confirming with everybody to make sure that you know where you stand and and you know what we’re trying to get accomplished.”
- The Suns have no interest in trading for Ja Morant, a source reiterated to Gerald Bourguet of Suns After Dark (Twitter link). Bourguet reported about a month ago that Phoenix wasn’t intrigued by the possibility of acquiring Morant, but speculation about the possibility has persisted.
2026 NBA Offseason Preview: Golden State Warriors
The Warriors entered 2025/26 optimistic about their changes of replicating the second-half success they found in '24/25 after trading for Jimmy Butler ahead of that season's deadline. Golden State was just 25-26, the 10th seed in the Western Conference, when Butler made his Warriors debut on February 8, 2025, but the club moved up to No. 7 by going 23-8 to end the '24/25 regular season.
After beating Memphis in the 7/8 play-in game to advance as the seventh seed, the Warriors faced Houston in the first round, eventually advancing to the semifinals after a tough seven-game series. Unfortunately for Golden State, Stephen Curry got hurt in Game 1 of the second-round matchup vs. Minnesota, which the Timberwolves won in five games.
Rather than make major changes, the Warriors made some moves around the edges last offseason, essentially replacing longtime center Kevon Looney with Al Horford, bringing back De'Anthony Melton on a two-year, minimum-salary contract (he had been traded to Brooklyn after suffering a torn ACL during the 2024/25 season), and re-signing Jonathan Kuminga and Gary Payton II.
Kuminga's restricted free agency dragged into the start of training camp, delaying all of the aforementioned signings. The situation was resolved with Kuminga accepting a two-year, $46.8MM deal that was designed to make him movable at the trade deadline. The Warriors also signed Seth Curry in November once they had a little bit of breathing room beneath their first apron hard cap.
Kuminga, the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft, opened '25/26 in the starting lineup, but it didn't last long -- he was pulled after the team was 6-6 after 12 games. The 23-year-old was dealing with a nagging knee injury near the end of that stretch, which caused him to miss seven straight contests after coming off the bench for one game.
After a sluggish 19-18 start to '25/26, the Warriors seemed to be turning things around in mid-January, winning six of seven games to boost their record to 25-19. The final victory in that span came at a major cost, however, as Butler tore his ACL on January 19 against Miami, his former team.
Butler's season-ending knee injury lowered Golden State's ceiling, and less than two weeks later Stephen Curry was diagnosed with patellofemoral pain syndrome, aka runner's knee. That often isn't considered a significant injury but it turned into a nagging problem for the two-time MVP, who didn't play again until April 5.
The relationship between the Warriors and Kuminga, which was already contentious after the offseason didn't go the way he hoped, continued to deteriorate over time. He eventually demanded a trade on the first day he was eligible to be moved in January.
It took a while, but Golden State found a deal it liked, sending Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta for Kristaps Porzingis. The Latvian big man had missed extended time due to mysterious circumstances in '24/25, later saying he had been diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a chronic health condition with no known cure.
The Warriors were heavily linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo leading up to the February trade deadline, but the Bucks ended up keeping the superstar forward. Draymond Green, not Butler, was rumored to be the main salary-matching piece in those talks.
In addition to the knee injuries of Butler and Stephen Curry, Horford and Seth Curry both battled sciatica and other ailments, only playing 45 and 10 regular season games, respectively. Porzingis was in and out of the lineup, appearing in just 15 of Golden State's 31 contests down the stretch. Then another devastating injury occurred in late March, when Moses Moody tore his patellar tendon.
With their two best players -- and by far their highest earners -- sidelined, the Warriors tumbled down the standings, finishing with a 37-45 record and the 10th seed in the West. They beat the Clippers in the 9/10 play-in game, then lost to Phoenix with a chance to advance to the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.
In the wake of the difficult season, Steve Kerr initially wasn't sure whether he wanted to return as head coach, but he ultimately re-signed with the team on a new two-year contract. Now the big question is figuring out what the roster will look like next season with over $69MM in salary ($56.8MM for Butler and $12.5MM for Moody) tied up in two players who are still several months away from returning to action.
The Warriors' Offseason Plans
Golden State's spending power this offseason hinges in large part on what Green decides to do with his $27.7MM player option and how much money it will take to re-sign Porzingis, which general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Kerr both said was a priority.
In the 2023 offseason, Green declined a $27.7MM player option to re-sign with the Warriors on a four-year, $100MM deal, but a payday that significant seems unlikely this time around. And Porzingis' market value is even trickier to gauge after a season in which he played just 32 games, the second-lowest total of his career.
Western Notes: Warriors, Jazz, Fleming, Plumlee
The Warriors‘ dynasty is looking increasingly difficult to replicate in the tax apron era, observes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Many around the league thought the Thunder had an excellent chance to become the first repeat champion since Golden State went back-to-back in 2017 and 2018, but they were eliminated in the Western Conference finals by San Antonio.
The Spurs, who have a player in Victor Wembanyama unlike any other in NBA history, are now in a 2-0 deficit against the Knicks, who feature a lineup full of veterans that have won 13 straight playoff games. Regardless of which team wins the NBA Finals, it will be the league’s eighth different champion in eight years.
The Warriors won three titles and made five consecutive trips to the Finals at the end of the last decade. No team has even made two straight trips to the Finals, let alone won back-to-back championships, since Golden State did it during that five-year span.
“Just mindset,” Shaun Livingston, who was on all of those teams, told Poole. “We wanted to win over everything — and be remembered for such. We knew we had a moment, so we could squeeze the juice.”
As Poole notes, that dynasty was set up by a unique contract situation, as Stephen Curry was the fourth-highest paid player on the team when he won back-to-back MVPs in 2015 and 2016. That, combined with a huge cap spike, which was barred in the latest CBA, enabled the Warriors to sign Kevin Durant in the 2016 offseason.
“That’s a huge reason,” Livingston said.
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- After moving up to No. 2 in the draft lottery, the Jazz will face a difficult yet welcome decision regarding their starting lineup, per Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. Assuming Walker Kessler is re-signed and ready to play by the start of next season following shoulder surgery, he will “definitely” join Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in Utah’s massive starting frontcourt, Todd writes. The other two starters will likely come down to Keyonte George, Ace Bailey and whomever the Jazz select with the second overall pick.
- Rasheer Fleming showed flashes of upside as a rookie in 2025/26 and the Suns forward is hoping to take strides forward this summer, he told Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “Just keep progressing on my game,” Fleming said. “Overall, just working on different areas of my game. My shot. Handle. Making reads. Slowing down. Just everything overall for me. The defense is going to keep progressing. Just working on a little bit of everything.” Fleming said that while he’d welcome a chance to earn a starting role, he’s more focused on holistic improvement. The 31st overall pick of last year’s draft plans to play in Summer League, he confirmed to Rankin. “It’s going to be really good,” he said. “Especially having those NBA reps now. I’m excited. It’s going to be fun. Last year, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I didn’t play much, but this year, it’s going to be really good.”
- In an interview with Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer, veteran center Mason Plumlee talks about his time with the Hornets and what his role has been with the Spurs.
Fischer’s Latest: Sabonis, Hawks, Porzingis, Wade, Ellis
Rival teams are expecting the Kings to make Domantas Sabonis available in trade talks again this summer after he stayed with Sacramento through the February deadline, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Fischer writes, the Kings are facing a significant cap crunch this offseason and are “known to be looking” to reduce their payroll if they can. Sabonis may more draw more interest than some of the team’s other pricey veterans, Fischer notes. That group also includes Zach LaVine (if he picks up his $49MM player option as expected), DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk.
Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up:
- In addition to the Bulls, Lakers, Hornets and Raptors, whom Fischer linked to Mitchell Robinson, the Hawks are another team eyeing frontcourt reinforcements this offseason. Fischer suggests the team may be in the market for a backup to Onyeka Okongwu rather than a starting five.
- The Warriors are optimistic about their chances of re-signing Kristaps Porzingis to a more team-friendly contract after he made $30.7MM last season while appearing in just 32 regular season games, per Fischer. However, if a deal falls through, Golden State would likely be in the mix for center help too.
- Cleveland essentially had to pick between re-signing Sam Merrill or Ty Jerome last offseason due to the team’s high payroll — even after significant cost-cutting moves ahead of the deadline, the Cavaliers were the only team to finish over the second tax apron in 2025/26. A similar situation could play out this summer, according to Fischer, with the Cavs expected to prioritize retaining Dean Wade over deadline addition Keon Ellis. Fischer hears Wade could command a “healthy portion” of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which starts at $15MM next season and projects to be worth up to $64.7MM over four years. Ellis’ stock may be trending in the opposite direction after he didn’t play much for Cleveland in the postseason, Fischer adds.
Pacific Notes: Kings, Sabonis, Warriors, Suns
The Kings are hosting a pre-draft workout on Friday featuring Boopie Miller (SMU), Nick Boyd (Wisconsin), Lamar Wilkerson (Indiana), Anthony Roy (Oklahoma State), Izaiyah Nelson (South Florida) and Ugonna Onyenso (Virginia), tweets James Ham of The Kings Beat.
Sacramento controls three picks (Nos. 7, 34 and 45) in the upcoming draft. Big men Onyenso (No. 43) and Nelson (No. 47) are the top-ranked prospects in that group on ESPN’s big board.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- After Evan Sidery claimed (via Twitter) that the Hornets and Kings discussed a possible trade involving Domantas Sabonis during the 2025/26 season, Ham shot down that rumor (Twitter link). “Not accurate,” a league source told Ham. Sabonis, a three-time All-Star center, is owed $94.1MM over the next two seasons.
- Nick Avila of NBC Sports Bay Area rounds up seven mock drafts for the lottery picks controlled by the Kings (No. 7) and Warriors (No. 11). Four outlets have Sacramento selecting former Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings, while only one name appears multiple times (twice) for Golden State: Mexican forward Karim Lopez, who spent the last two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in the National Basketball League.
- Although the Suns currently only control the 47th overall pick in this month’s draft, they have a recent history of moving both up and down, notes Gerald Bourguet of Sports360AZ.com. He acknowledges the odds of Phoenix being able to land a first-round pick seem fairly low given the limited assets at the team’s disposal, but Bourguet lists five prospects the Suns should consider if they’re able to move into the first round, including Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie and Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson.