We all know how intense the rivalry between LeBron James and the Golden State Warriors was. They played four NBA Finals, with Warriors winning three of them and LeBron and his Cavs stealing the 2016 championship after being down 3-1. They did the unthinkable and came back, defeating the Dubs, doing something historical in the process.
During the last year of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, everybody was trying to discover where LeBron was going to play after his time with the Cavs was over. Believe it or not, some rumors suggested he was going to join the Warriors that offseason. If they could make some adjustments, LeBron would consider going to the Bay, but the King made sure to shut down those rumors.
“First thing I did was start laughing, actually. It’s nonsense, and it’s a non-story,” James said when he heard of the rumors. “I think it’s a discredit to what I’m trying to do here. It’s a discredit to my teammates and the coaching staff here. My only focus right now is trying to figure out how we can become a championship-caliber team in these next few months. It’s been so many stories about me in the last few months, in the last few days, about where I’m going and where I’m at and what place I’m in.
“I’m here, I’m right here, I’m right now and this is my present and this is where I’m at.”
“First thing I did was start laughing, actually. It’s nonsense and it’s a nonstory." @KingJames responds to storylines concerning the Warriors.
🎥: @cavs pic.twitter.com/3DCNKZmS0D
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 2, 2018
In the end, he joined the Los Angeles Lakers after declining his $35.6 million contract option with the Cavaliers. LeBron would leave the Cavaliers after making them NBA champions for the first time ever, finding redemption after he left the Quicken Loans Arena to join the Miami Heat in 2010.
Now he’s part of the Lakers, trying to get the team to the top of the league once again alongside Anthony Davis and co. Bron is always looking for that big challenge and going to the Warriors wouldn’t have meant that for him.
