Story by
Hunter Cookston
Thu, July 16, 2026 at 11:17 AM UTC·2 min read
Warriors predicted to ship Jimmy Butler for $168M duo with 5 NBA championships in blockbuster deal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred
For the past three weeks, all eyes have been on LeBron James as he weighs his next destination in free agency. James is a free agent for the fifth time in his career, and his decision has become one of the biggest storylines of the NBA offseason
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A decision appears to be on the horizon for the four-time NBA champion. His list has reportedly been narrowed to five teams
“It’s decision time for LeBron James… The Leading suitors have been CLE, MIA, GSW, PHI, and MIN…. LeBron James has made it clear privately that he wants to go somewhere he can compete for a championship. Somewhere he feels he finds that happiness from a team environment and culture that he can uplift,” ESPN’s Shams Charania said
There has been little indication of which team James is leaning toward. However, there is growing belief around the league that two teams have emerged as the favorites
“I would be stunned if he picked a team that wasn’t Golden State or Cleveland,” a Western Conference executive told FOS’ Alex Schiffer
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If James ultimately joins the Warriors, he would form a star trio alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. There is also speculation that Golden State could make another major move. Heavy.com’s Sai Mohan believes the Warriors could trade Jimmy Butler for Dallas Mavericks stars Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson
“The Golden State Warriors seem determined to go all out to help Stephen Curry capture his fifth NBA championship. A part of that plan includes signing LeBron James, but the Warriors can make a few more big swings by using Jimmy Butler’s expiring $56.8M salary along with some of their draft assets. This specific Warriors trade idea — which meets the CBA’s guidelines — would land Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson to pair with James, Curry and Draymond Green,” Mohan wrote
It would be a stunning outcome for Golden State and would give James a legitimate championship contender. Health would undoubtedly be a concern given the age of several key players, but if the group stayed healthy, the Warriors would boast one of the most accomplished veteran cores in the NBA
Irving and Thompson have a combined salary of $168 million and could both be entering the final year of their current contracts. Both players have put together Hall of Fame-caliber careers, making them a formidable duo. Acquiring them would represent an aggressive all-in move by the Warriors, though it would come at the cost of Butler and additional draft capital
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