Imagine spending 22 years in the NBA—already 40 years old—and teams are still ready to trade away their young stars just to bring you in. That kind of demand isn’t about nostalgia; it’s about staying dominant, decade after decade. He’s averaged 27 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists across 1,562 games, with 4 MVPs, 4 rings, and 21 All-Star selections. And yes, even now, he’s still the standard. You guessed it—it’s LeBron James.

LeBron James is officially staying in L.A., picking up his $52.6 million player option for next season, as confirmed by Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul. While it was always expected he’d return, this ends months of buzz over whether he’d take a pay cut like last offseason—when he even offered to slash $15 million to help land Klay Thompson. That deal fell through (hello, Mavericks), and this time, LeBron’s going near-max. And really, can you blame him? The Lakers couldn’t add enough talent last time to justify another discount.

But the speculation around LeBron James isn’t going anywhere. Unexpectedly, Ronnie Singh, the Digital Marketing Director for 2K games, posted on X, writing, “I often get insider info to NBA transactions. Let me be clear: I don’t have any lead on this. But LeBron to Warriors makes a ton of sense if he wants out of LA for a win-now situation. 2 of 4—Kuminga, Butler, Podz, and Moody—going the other way plus a future first-round pick. You heard it here first.” Nothing is confirmed, but when it comes to LeBron, even whispers can set the league buzzing.

After locking in his $52.6 million player option with the Lakers, LeBron and his agent, Rich Paul, shared a message that felt like more than just your typical “we’re staying put” statement. Paul told ESPN, “We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.” That sounds a lot like keeping the trade door cracked open—and the Golden State Warriors could be standing right outside.

Let’s be real—LeBron teaming up with Stephen Curry would break the internet. After years of battling in the Finals and finally winning gold together in Paris during the 2024 Olympics, the basketball world got a taste of their on-court chemistry. If James does request a trade, Golden State would be drooling at the chance. But it won’t be easy. To even match salaries, the Warriors would likely have to part with Buddy Hield, and Moses Moody—maybe more. And that’s only if LeBron exerts real leverage. But if LeBron really wants to make one final title run with Curry? Don’t count anything out.

But the Warriors aren’t the only ones eyeing LeBron James —Kevin O’Connor tossed Cleveland back into the mix with a spicy what-if. He floated a trade that sends Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, and possibly Max Strus packing to clear space for a LeBron homecoming. “It’s a lot to give up for a player who may not put you over the top and may have only one year left,” O’Connor admitted—but he also argued it could be a sneaky long-term win. If the Cavs can duck the second apron, maybe offload De’Andre Hunter too, and LeBron’s open to it? Cleveland could be cooking up something wild.

Jonathan Kuminga to the Warriors?

Jonathan Kuminga might be on the move soon—the 22-year-old wing is hitting restricted free agency, and the Warriors aren’t sure they can meet his asking price. According to NBA insider Brett Siegel, Kuminga “wants a deal that pays him over $30 million per year,” which would make him Golden State’s third-highest-paid player behind Stephen Curry ($59.6M) and Jimmy Butler ($54.1M). That’s a hefty price tag for someone who hasn’t yet broken into the starting lineup, even though he contributed 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game in 2024–25.

Still, Kuminga’s late-playoff surge didn’t go unnoticed—he averaged 26.3 points on 51.9% shooting across the final three games of the Conference Semis against Minnesota. That’s the kind of breakout spark teams crave. He even said himself, “Aiming to be an All‑Star. Multiple times,” because he “knows I got it.” But Golden State’s hand is tied: as Brett Siegel noted, they want to preserve financial flexibility, and extending Kuminga to that $30M-plus mark might lock them into a ceiling that limits future moves.

The solution? Keep him around—but on their terms. ESPN’s Bobby Marks predicts the Warriors will tack on a $7.9 million qualifying offer, retaining the right to match any competing bids. Dan Favale of Bleacher Report adds that complicated salary rules might make a sign-and-trade messy, so re-signing him “to preserve the asset and salary slot” is the safest route. It sounds like Kuminga stays put—for now—while Golden State weighs how (and when) to turn this talented but unproven asset into a win-now boost.

A LeBron-to-Warriors trade and Kuminga’s qualifying offer might still be long shots—but the whispers are getting louder. If it happens, the league changes overnight.