The idea of LeBron James wearing a Warriors jersey is still floating around NBA circles, and Stephen A. Smith isn’t exactly subtle about what he thinks would happen if it went down. He went on a rant this week, basically saying the combination of James and Stephen Curry would be the biggest thing the league has ever seen. And he’s not just talking about ratings in the US. He’s talking globally.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania, there’s a catch. James reportedly won’t agree to join Golden State unless the team first acquires Anthony Davis from the Washington Wizards. That’s a big if. The Warriors would need to pull off a massive trade just to make LeBron even consider it. But if they do, you’re looking at a duo that already won a title together in Los Angeles, plus Curry. Smith thinks that’s box office gold.
“Do you understand what the combination of LeBron James with Steph Curry would mean for box office, what it would mean for ratings, what it would mean for the popularity of the NBA brand not just nationwide but globally?” Smith said. He went on to compare it to the Heatles era — LeBron with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. Except this, he argued, might be even bigger.
Look, the NBA already has some solid storylines right now. The Knicks just won a title. Victor Wembanyama is in San Antonio doing ridiculous things. But Smith says none of that would touch the sheer entertainment value of James and Curry sharing a backcourt. And he’s probably right. The league hasn’t seen two superstars of that magnitude team up since, well, LeBron and Davis in 2020. And Curry is on another level entirely in terms of global appeal.
For this to work though, Golden State needs to land Davis first. That’s not a small ask. The Wizards aren’t exactly giving him away for free. But if the Warriors can make that happen, you’d have a core of Curry, Davis, and James. That’s three future Hall of Famers, two of them still playing at an elite level and one who’s still arguably the best player in the world when healthy. The NBA would basically have a license to print money.
Smith didn’t exactly predict it happening. He just said if it did, the league would see ratings it hasn’t seen in years. Maybe ever. And honestly, it’s hard to argue with that. The idea is enough to get fans talking, even if the trade machine math doesn’t quite work yet.
Leave a Comment