Offseason noise made a blockbuster pairing feel imminent. But the reality was off base in the LeBron sweepstakes when the key decision-makers never felt it was close. While Bay Area fans dreamed of seeing LeBron James join forces with Stephen Curry for one final title run, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr knew early on it was nothing more than internet-fueled hype, while the team had plans set in stone.

Breaking his silence via ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Kerr offered a candid assessment regarding the Warriors’ rumored pursuit of James before the four-time champion ultimately chose the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.

“I didn’t even think we were realistically in the running for LeBron,” Kerr told Slater. “It’s just that everyone kept saying we were. It never seemed serious to me despite all the reports.”

Slater spoke to Kerr two days ago, after Bron made his announcement and the league had time to adjust around it.

He made it clear that despite the relentless public chatter, partially fueled by Kerr himself telling fans, “Oh, we got him…put that on Twitter,” the Warriors never viewed a deal as a realistic possibility. 

Golden State’s calculated approach extended directly into how they handled Draymond Green’s contract situation. Green initially declined his $27.7 million player option to maximize the team’s cap flexibility during free agency, but after James committed to Philadelphia, Green re-signed on an identical one-year, $27.7 million deal.

Addressing the situation on ESPN’s NBA Today, Slater revealed that Golden State’s front office never halted its offseason plans while waiting on James.

While the Warriors would have welcomed the all-time leading scorer on a team-friendly minimum or mid-level exception contract, Kerr and the front office always intended to preserve the core group while keeping their future options open.

They’ve jarringly not been active in the free agency market despite being attached to the Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, and LeBron sweepstakes. Other than retaining Green, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and De’Anthony Melton, they’re focused on Steph Curry’s extension.

As Slater detailed, locking Green into a single-year agreement preserves pristine books for the franchise moving forward. The Warriors currently hold just $34.9 million in committed payroll for the 2027–28 season, granting them maximum financial pivotability.

“It keeps the books really clean,” Slater noted regarding the Warriors’ strategy not signing new players. “Look again, flexibility, optionality, all the terms that I think make followers of the Warriors cringe.”

With James taking his talents to Philadelphia to form a formidable Eastern Conference force alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown, Golden State faces a daunting path in a stacked West featuring rising powers like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

However, the Dubs aren’t without reinforcements. The Warriors are anticipating the midseason return of Jimmy Butler as he continues his recovery from an ACL injury suffered last season, giving Kerr a proven playoff force alongside Curry and Green.

Rather than making a reactive panic trade after missing out on James, Kerr and the Warriors front office remain committed to their structured timeline, trusting that financial clarity and internal health will pave the best road ahead.