The Golden State Warriors made a remarkable attempt to bring together two of the NBA's most significant rivals in history – LeBron James and Stephen Curry – during last week's NBA trade deadline, ESPN reported.
Speculation had been growing about the 39-year-old's future with the Los Angeles Lakers after he shared an image of an hourglass on social media before the trade deadline.
The Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season and currently occupy the ninth spot in the Western Conference this season, just one place above the Warriors, who are enjoying a five-game winning streak.
As per the publication, Draymond Green, a forward for the Warriors who shares an agent with James, urged the team to initiate contact with the Lakers regarding a potential trade.
Lakers owner Jeanie Buss mentioned that the team was unwilling to trade its premier star but was open to a deal if James was determined to depart. However, after reaching out to James's agent, Rich Paul, the response was that James wished to stay with the Lakers and had no inclination to join the Warriors.
James also plans to continue with the Lakers next season, but there might be renewed interest from the Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers are also said to have inquired about the future Hall of Famer around the trade deadline.
James and the Warriors faced off in four consecutive NBA finals, starting in the 2014-15 season when he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Golden State emerged victorious in three of those matchups. The defining moment of James's career came in the 2016 NBA finals when he led the Cavaliers to a comeback from a 3-1 deficit, securing their first-ever title.
Those finals played a crucial role in establishing his rivalry with Curry, as both players delivered numerous outstanding performances for their respective teams.
Despite approaching 40 and not being at his peak, James remains a formidable player. He earned his 20th NBA All-Star selection this season and is currently averaging 24.8 points per game.