Warriors Pursuing Anthony Davis in Bold LeBron Bid

The Golden State Warriors are attempting to trade for Washington Wizards center Anthony Davis and then sign LeBron James once NBA free agency opens, according to a report by Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports published June 29, 2026.

What the Report Says

The framework, as O'Connor described it, would center on sending Jimmy Butler to Washington. Butler carries an expiring $56.8 million contract for 2026-27 but is recovering from a torn right ACL sustained on January 19 against the Miami Heat. The Warriors confirmed he underwent surgery on February 9, and ESPN reported the team does not expect him back until the middle of the 2026-27 season.

Beyond Butler's salary, Golden State would need to attach draft capital. O'Connor reported the Warriors have two future first-round picks and four first-round swaps available. O'Connor noted that the complexity of the Butler fit for Washington, a team that reportedly committed approximately $212 million to Trae Young, could force a third team into any deal, routing Butler elsewhere while sending a different player to the Wizards instead.

The reported pitch to LeBron James, who becomes an unrestricted free agent this week, is direct: reunite with Davis, team up with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, and chase a title under coach Steve Kerr. James, Davis, Curry, and Kerr all shared a sideline at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the United States won gold.

The negotiations window for outside free agents opens June 30 at 6 p.m. ET, per the NBA's official free-agency schedule. Contracts may be formally signed beginning July 6.

Who Anthony Davis Is and How He Got to Washington

Davis, 33, arrived in Washington on February 6, 2026, in a nine-player, three-team trade officially confirmed by the NBA. Dallas sent Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum to the Wizards. Washington sent Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Marvin Bagley III, a 2026 Oklahoma City first-round pick, a 2030 Golden State first-round pick, and three future second-round picks to Dallas, with Tyus Jones routed to Dallas via Charlotte. Charlotte received Malaki Branham.

Dallas had acquired Davis from Los Angeles in the trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Lakers. The Mavericks then fired general manager Nico Harrison in November 2025, months before Davis was moved to Washington.

Davis never appeared in a game for the Wizards. He had suffered a left hand ligament injury on January 8, 2026, in a 116-114 loss to the Utah Jazz, his last NBA appearance. At the time of the February trade he was still recovering, and a Reuters report from March confirmed he had been cleared for individual activities and awaiting further evaluation. He did not return to game action before the season ended. He averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists across 20 games for Dallas before the injury.

His availability record has drawn scrutiny. Since 2022-23, Davis has appeared in approximately 203 regular-season games, more than both Zion Williamson (191) and LaMelo Ball (177) over the same period, per Basketball Reference, Basketball Reference, and Basketball Reference.

Washington's Public Position: Mutual Interest, Future Talks

The Wizards' stated position is that they want Davis to stay. General manager Will Dawkins addressed the rumors after the 2026 NBA Draft, telling ESPN: "He wants to be here and we want him here. We'll have that conversation in the middle of August when we can officially have that," per Bleacher Report's account of his remarks.

Dawkins did not say the team would refuse all trade inquiries. He identified August 6 as the point at which contract extension talks could formally begin, the same date Davis becomes eligible for a four-year deal worth a projected $275 million. Washington's offseason moves further reflect that framing. The club reportedly agreed to a four-year deal worth approximately $212 million with Trae Young, per NBA.com and Reuters. It then selected AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Davis alongside Young and Dybantsa would give Washington an established star alongside two of the franchise's most important young players.

No direct public statement from Davis confirming or denying a desire to leave was found. The GM's account reflects Washington's stated position. What Davis privately wants remains unverified.

Davis' Contract and What a Trade Would Cost Him

Davis' contract gives Washington genuine leverage. His guaranteed 2026-27 salary is $58.46 million, with a $62.79 million player option for 2027-28, according to Spotrac. A combined possible value of $121.24 million across two seasons, if he exercises the option, is a significant ask in return for a player who is 33 and coming off an injury-shortened season.

ESPN's contract extension analysis reports that Davis becomes eligible for a four-year extension worth a projected $275 million on August 6, 2026. O'Connor reported that a trade before that date would reset the extension clock by six months under collective bargaining rules, meaning Davis could not sign the full max until six months after a deal became official. That delay is a financial consideration for a player who could otherwise begin long-term extension talks with Washington in mid-August.

The Warriors have been active elsewhere in their offseason. Al Horford, 40, reportedly plans to sign a two-year, $14 million deal to return to Golden State, though the deal had not been officially filed at the June 29 cutoff. Large-scale cap flexibility to take on Davis without sending Butler's salary the other direction is limited under the team's current obligations.

The Uncertainty Around LeBron

James, 41, exercised his 2025-26 player option with the Lakers and enters this offseason as an unrestricted free agent, per the NBA's own free-agent preview. Reports attributed to ESPN, relayed by Yahoo Sports, indicated the Lakers had not yet made James an offer as free agency approached. Agent Rich Paul was reported by Yahoo Sports to have said that 10 to 12 teams had checked in, neither figure has been independently confirmed from a primary source.

One reported salary path for a Golden State signing would involve the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which can be worth approximately $15 million depending on how Golden State resolves its own roster decisions, including Draymond Green's $27.6 million player option and other cap obligations. A sign-and-trade between Los Angeles and Golden State could produce a different salary structure, but no such arrangement has been officially reported or agreed.

James and Davis spent six seasons together on the Lakers, winning one championship in 2020. Whether that history translates into James choosing Golden State over other reported suitors, including, per media reports, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, is entirely unresolved.

What Golden State's Track Record Shows

The Warriors have been here before. O'Connor himself noted that in recent years Golden State pursued Paul George, Lauri Markkanen, Pascal Siakam, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kawhi Leonard, and landed none of them. Butler arrived as the pivot after Durant declined interest in a reunion, and Butler's torn ACL is the direct reason Golden State is exploring another star acquisition this summer.

Curry is 38. The Warriors finished 37-45 in 2025-26 and needed the play-in tournament just to keep their season alive. Portland, per a report relayed by O'Connor citing Marc Stein, could also pursue Davis if its effort to land Antetokounmpo falls short, giving Washington a second potential bidder and pricing leverage over any Golden State offer. The decisive step in this sequence belongs to Washington: no trade happens without the Wizards deciding an offer is worth taking.