NBA Rumors: LeBron James Recruiting Stephen Curry? Warriors’ Star Unlikely Joining Lakers

With Stephen Curry set to become a free agent in the summer of 2022, most of the basketball world views it as a formality that he’ll sign another contract with the Golden State Warriors. That doesn’t mean everyone in the NBA is resigned to the fact that among the greatest shooters of all-time won’t change teams at some point.

LeBron James already started recruiting Curry to the Los Angeles Lakers at the All-Star break, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. ESPN’s Nick Friedell responded to that assertion on the “Brian Windhorst The Hoop Collective” podcast by saying Curry would not leave Golden State.

The two superstars were teammates in the 2021 All-Star Game because James selected Curry with his second pick in the All-Star draft.

Curry is eligible to sign an extension this summer. The 33-year-old has one year left on his contract beyond this season worth $45.78 million.

The Warriors selected Curry with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Curry has won two MVP awards and three championships with Golden State. The point guard has expressed that he wants to play his entire career with the Warriors.

It wouldn’t be new for James to at least try to persuade one of the league’s top players to become his teammate. The four-time champion is thought to have played a role in Anthony Davis’ decision to force a trade to the Lakers.

NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins recently suggested that it wouldn't be unrealistic to think Curry might choose to eventually join forces with James in Los Angeles.

Both James and Davis are signed with the Lakers through the 2022-23 season. With the teammates set to make more than $82 million combined that year, Los Angeles probably would not be able to give Curry a max contract in free agency in the unlikely event that he wanted to become a Laker.

Curry remains one of the NBA’s best players with averages of 29.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game this season. All three of Curry's titles came against James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

James and Cleveland upset Curry and the 73-win Warriors in the 2016 Finals.

The Lakers are the No. 4 seed in the West as James and Davis recover from injuries. Los Angeles is favored to repeat as the conference champions.

The Warriors are the West’s No. 10 seed and potentially on their way to missing the playoffs for a second straight year.