LeBron James wanted to play with Stephen Curry on a team other than the Golden State Warriors, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN.
Curry heavily recruited James to the Warriors this summer, but James didn’t want to play for Golden State because of the rivalry he had with the franchise during his second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Warriors and Cavaliers met in four straight NBA Finals from 2015 to 2018. Golden State went 3-1, but Cleveland historically won the 2016 championship, becoming the first team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals.
James signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. Philadelphia All-Stars Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey heavily recruited James.
The 76ers now have a lethal core of James, Embiid, Brown, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Philadelphia also added Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons this summer.
Golden State hasn’t made any additions in free agency this offseason. Draymond Green re-signed with the club after James picked the 76ers. The Warriors, who missed the playoffs last season, also brought back Kristaps Porziņģis.
“That’s why you don’t envision anything until it happens,” Curry said Saturday from Moses Moody’s youth camp about the Warriors not getting James, via The Athletic. “There’s a lot of moving parts.”
Curry and James have combined to win six MVPs, eight championships and five Finals MVPs. Curry is the greatest shooter of all time, while James is the best all-around player in NBA history. The two sports icons played well off each other in the Paris Olympics and the Warriors could have competed for the championship next season with James, Curry and Green leading the way.
However, James is headed to Philadelphia and will finish his legendary career there, while Curry and the Warriors will run it back with the same roster from last season besides rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.
