Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James addressed the report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne that the Golden State Warriors explored trading for him, telling the NBA on TNT crew the following:
“It didn’t go far at all. I actually heard about it when everybody else heard about it. Obviously Charles been in the league, Kenny been in the league, Shaq been in the league, and sometimes there’s conversations that happen behind closed doors that you don’t even know about. Until, I guess, if it’s real or not, then they’ll bring it to you. But it never even got to me, so I heard it when the reports dropped as well.”
During an alternate broadcast of the All-Star Game, Warriors star Draymond Green revealed that he was against the idea of Jonathan Kuminga being dealt for James, saying, “When I talked to Joe [Lacob] on the phone, and we were discussing what we’d have to give up, I said if it’s Kuminga, the answer is no.”
This trade idea is one that has been floated around a lot when people have put together hypothetical trade packages that send James to the Warriors, but Green is not on board. Despite Green being close friends with James, he was against the idea of Kuminga being dealt for the Lakers star.
It seems the Warriors wouldn’t have done this trade anyways, but for a young player like Kuminga, it’s always good to have the backing of established veterans like Green. For now, James remains with the Lakers.