Kevin Garnett claims that LeBron James joining the Warriors could resemble Shaquille O’Neal’s late-career stint with the Celtics, raising questions about fit and legacy in the Bay Area. Read more.
Rumors about LeBron James possibly joining the Warriors during February’s trade deadline sent the basketball world into a frenzy. However, the excitement of fans hoping for a LeBron-Stephen Curry duo was quickly dampened. Months later, as more details surfaced, Kevin Garnett shared his thoughts, drawing parallels to the 2010-2011 season when Shaquille O’Neal joined the Boston Celtics.
Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce discussed the possibility of LeBron James moving to San Francisco and teaming up with his long-time rival, Steph Curry. Garnett disclosed some details of the potential trade.
Kevin Garnett compares LeBron James joining Golden State to Shaq joining the Celtics.
“If he don’t get hurt, we win.”
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“The Lakers had a trade on the table to send LeBron to Golden State. They wanted Kuminga from Bron,” Garnett revealed.
Garnett compared the failed trade to the Celtics’ acquisition of Shaquille O’Neal in 2010, where Shaq joined a lineup featuring Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Garnett, and Pierce, creating a star-studded roster.
“We played with Shaq. I don’t care what’s going on. Shaq was older, but he was still Shaq. If he didn’t get hurt, we would’ve won. He did enough for us; his presence was everything,” Garnett said.
Similar to Shaq’s impact on the Celtics, LeBron’s presence alone would have benefited the Golden State Warriors.
“It doesn’t even matter; it’s the effect of Bron… If he can still lay the ball up, be in the layup line, and put the jersey on… It’s always active,” Garnett added.
If this trade had materialized, the NBA would have seen two of the greatest players of this generation team up. Both players have expressed their admiration for each other on numerous occasions, and their on-court chemistry during the 2024 Olympics demonstrated how much they would have enjoyed sharing a locker room—if not for Rich Paul. Every team in the association is eager to have LeBron James on their roster. Not only is he still one of the best players in the league at age 39, but adding him would also boost a team’s popularity.
The Golden State Warriors were reportedly willing to trade Jonathan Kuminga, a few other role players, and draft picks to acquire James. However, the deal never gained traction due to Rich Paul. Sources indicate that Paul opposed the idea of James leaving the glamorous life of LA for Northern California.
“Rich Paul was strongly against LeBron James moving from Southern California to Northern California…”
Furthermore, Paul was looking out for his client’s best interests, ensuring that no one could criticize James for playing on a fourth team in his career. While Paul may have missed a rare opportunity to see both players share a locker room, it appears he made the right decision. If James had won a title with the Warriors, critics would likely have undermined his legacy, claiming he needed Curry to secure his fifth championship.