Golden State Warriors could sign LeBron James but their ceiling will be set by $40m deal already signed

Seeing Steph Curry and LeBron James on the same team could well be a reality, and this “Last Dance” could be iconic despite their ages.

However, how far the Warriors go with this core will not depend on James’ signing. It will depend on a deal they’ve already completed.

Golden State Warriors need Kristaps Porzingis at his best

Warriors have made a lot of roster moves already, from drafting Yaxel Landeborg to signing De’Anthony Melton and extending Kristaps Porzingis.

Of all those moves, the one with the highest ceiling is the $40m deal they’ve handed Porzingis over two years, which is a huge trust in him.

The Latvian played just 15 games last season after joining the team, starting just 11 of those games.

To pay $40m to a player like that, who has largely been unreliable since the 2024/25 season, shows that the Warriors know that the ceiling is high.

At his best, Porzingis has the unique “unicorn” profile of a defensive anchor who can space the floor on offense.

Granted, his 3PT shooting didn’t really take off at the Warriors last season, shooting 31.1%, but he was clearly struggling with fitness issues, and the lack of games didn’t have him in any rhythm.

If Porzingis can get back to his career 3PT%, which is about 36.4%, it changes the dynamics of the Warriors’ offense entirely.

Melton is also a 3-and-D guard, while Yaxel Landeborg is a plug-and-play wing who has steadily increased his 3PT% coming through college.

They will still need their superstars to be available for a grind, but Curry and James are no longer at a place where they can carry the team.

Porzingis will determine if the Warriors even reach the point where they play consequential games.

Porzingis seals Anthony Davis rumours, and it’s for the best

Porzingis’ contract extension also all but rules out a deal for Anthony Davis, who is huffing and puffing at the Washington Wizards.

As it is, the Warriors have an extremely injury-prone roster, and they’ve just extended Porzingis and are looking to sign James.

Davis is the last addition they need, even if it is just a means to smooth the deal for James.

Porzingis’ extension rules out that possibility, and it’s for the best, because that means Jimmy Butler is staying as well.

Butler can easily find a second wind in his career if he sees competitive superstars around him, and the front office is trying to maximise Curry’s final title window.

He’s a much better fit than Davis at this stage of their respective careers, and Porzingis’ extension makes that one step closer to reality.

If the Warriors actually find success after signing James, then it will all be traced back to the domino effect of extending Porzingis when he didn’t give the team any reason to do so.