Draymond Green confirmed that he used time spent with LeBron James to make a direct recruiting pitch, adding another public chapter to the Golden State Warriors’ pursuit of the four-time NBA champion as his free agency decision continues to dominate the offseason.
Speaking about his conversations with James, Green admitted he could not pass up the opportunity to make the Warriors’ case.
“I’d be remissed if I don’t take the opportunity to throw my pitch in there,” Green said on The Draymond Green Show. “I’d be crazy if we’re together for x amount of days and at no point am I like ‘yo, we need to chop it up, what the hell going on? What we doing?’ Of course I did that and of course the pitch was crazy… with the things I shared in it, it’s definitely gonna make the brain work a little bit… but we wasn’t going to hang out for a recruitment pitch.”
Green’s comments align with growing reports that Golden State remains firmly in the race to sign James. NBA insider Jake Fischer recently said the Warriors are “as involved as any team” pursuing the 41-year-old, despite persistent speculation linking him to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers.
According to Fischer, a partnership featuring James, Stephen Curry and Green remains a realistic possibility. He described Golden State as offering a unique blend of championship pedigree and entertainment value, comparing the potential trio to a traveling Team USA-style superteam.
The Warriors are attempting to rebound from a disappointing 37-45 campaign that ended without a playoff appearance. Their offseason has focused on building a bigger, more experienced roster around Curry while preserving long-term flexibility.
Golden State re-signed Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford in the offseason. The Warriors also signed Charles Bassey after Memphis pried away Quinten Post with an offer sheet, selected Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and drafted Lajae Jones at No. 54.
Green declined his $27.7 million player option, a move widely viewed as creating additional financial flexibility while keeping the veteran forward in position to negotiate a new deal with Golden State.
James, meanwhile, continues to attract interest from several contenders after completing his eighth season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games during the 2025-26 regular season, helping the Lakers finish 53-29 and capture the Pacific Division title before Oklahoma City swept them in the Western Conference semifinals.
Cleveland remains a sentimental favorite after finishing 52-30 and reaching the Eastern Conference finals before being swept by the eventual champion New York Knicks. Miami has also emerged as a strong contender following its blockbuster acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis, while Philadelphia entered the conversation after adding Jaylen Brown to a roster led by Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has cautioned against assuming a Cleveland reunion is inevitable, saying the information around the league remains “too scattered.” James’ longtime agent, Rich Paul, has reportedly heard pitches from multiple franchises, including the Cavaliers, Heat, Warriors, Timberwolves and 76ers.
Green’s latest revelation underscores how aggressively Golden State is pursuing James. While no timetable has been announced for a decision, the possibility of pairing James with Curry and Green remains one of the NBA’s biggest offseason storylines.
