Could LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Steph Curry REALLY Team Up In Golden State?!

Is a big four really coming together in Golden State? Brian Windhorst's answer was measured. It is possible. He is just not there yet on probable or likely.

The mechanism is Draymond Green. Green opted out of his contract, which takes about 28 million dollars off the Warriors' books. In an era where the aprons govern everything a team can do, Windhorst explained, that drop lowers Golden State into a tier where a lot more becomes available. One specific door it opens is the ability to sign LeBron James for roughly 15 million dollars. "If you can get LeBron James for 15 million dollars," Windhorst said, "it's an incredible deal."

There is a catch on the other end. By Windhorst's understanding, James has not made himself available to meet with the Lakers about his free agency, leaving Los Angeles unable to even put a contract in front of him.

The plot thickens with the agent of it all. Anthony Davis shares Rich Paul with James and Green. Windhorst's understanding is that Davis's representatives met with the Washington Wizards a day earlier about a possible extension. Davis cannot actually sign one until August, but this is the moment those conversations happen. Could a sign-and-trade send him to the Bay? Possible, Windhorst said. The Warriors could call the Wizards, offer to trade for Davis, and have James arrive in free agency, and all of those things could happen.

Windhorst grounded it in pattern. Every transaction window, the Warriors take a gigantic home-run swing. Most of the time they fail. But they keep stepping into the batter's box.

He also offered the skeptic's version, straight from the people he was talking to that day. They gave him the side eye and laid out the boring outcome: Green re-signs in Golden State, James re-signs in Los Angeles, and Davis gets his extension in Washington. Everyone stays, everyone gets paid.

His evidence for the cautious read was last week. The Lakers were offering Austin Reaves a certain number, he was not thrilled, and the moment Los Angeles feared the Pistons would jump over the top, they dramatically raised the offer. Reaves, Windhorst said, could not even believe it.

So part of all this Golden State noise, he allowed, could simply be leverage. Davis and James generating offers in Washington and Los Angeles until everybody gets paid where they already are. Or, Windhorst conceded, they could all end up in Golden State. He is not sure which.