The new priority of the Warriors after missing out on signing LeBron

Golden State Warriors have already defined what their next big move will be in the market after running out of options to incorporate LeBron James. With the American star already committed to Philadelphia 76ers, the San Francisco franchise will focus all its efforts on finalizing the renewal of Draymond Green, one of the historical cornerstones of the dynasty led by Stephen Curry.

According to the latest information, it is expected that Green will sign a new contract for an amount close to 28 million dollars, a figure similar to the player option he had rejected at the start of free agency. Although there were never too many doubts about his continuity in the Bay Area, the outcome of LeBron's market has definitively cleared the way for both parties to reach a new agreement.

In addition to securing the stay of the four-time NBA champion, the sports management headed by Mike Dunleavy Jr. also aims to advance in the renewal of De'Anthony Melton and complete a squad that aspires to compete for the title again.

LeBron's failed signing changes plans

For much of the summer, the Warriors kept open the possibility of trying to incorporate LeBron James. The franchise believed that uniting the NBA's all-time leading scorer with Stephen Curry would have immediately turned the team into one of the top title favorites.

However, the veteran forward ultimately chose the Philadelphia 76ers, where he will sign a two-year contract to face the last major challenge of his career.

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With that operation discarded, Golden State has regained the flexibility needed to close pending matters, starting with the continuity of Draymond Green.

The renewal of the veteran power forward was always on the table, but the sports management preferred to wait to know LeBron's final decision before committing a significant portion of their salary cap space.

Green will remain a key piece

Despite the passage of years, Draymond Green continues to be one of the most important players within the Warriors' project.

His leadership, defensive ability, tactical intelligence, and connection with Stephen Curry remain essential elements for Steve Kerr, who considers the veteran big man an irreplaceable piece within the team's system.

For that reason, there was never a real fear within the franchise of losing him. The only unknown was the type of contract he would end up signing and when the agreement would take place.

Everything now points to the renewal being finalized for an amount close to 28 million dollars, thus keeping together the historic core that won four NBA championships.

Mike Dunleavy Jr. faces the rest of the market

Once Green's situation is resolved, the sports management's next priority will be to continue shaping the squad for the 2026-27 season.

Among the objectives is the continuity of De'Anthony Melton, as well as incorporating the necessary pieces to surround Curry and Green with a team capable of competing again in the Western Conference.

The Warriors are aware that they need to regain depth and talent to return to the elite after several seasons away from the real championship fight.

LeBron will continue for two more seasons

Meanwhile, LeBron James is already looking towards his new stage in Philadelphia. Although he publicly acknowledged that he seriously considered retirement after the Los Angeles Lakers' elimination in the last playoffs, he ultimately decided to extend his career.

The player himself explained on his social media that he needed several weeks to decide if he still had the desire to continue competing.

"I thought my career was over when the season ended. I wasn't ready to announce it and I knew I needed time to decide, but I was pretty sure I had played my last game."

He ultimately changed his mind.

"I was honest when I said I needed to reflect and decide if I still love this sport and if I still have much to offer."

As explained by Shams Charania, there is a very real possibility that James will complete his entire two-year contract with the 76ers, delaying his retirement until at least 2028.

For the Warriors, however, the LeBron chapter is now part of the past. Now all eyes are on the renewal of Draymond Green, a move that will allow Golden State to keep intact one of the pillars of its most successful era while continuing to build a competitive team around Stephen Curry.

Draymond Green's Statistics in the 2025-26 Season

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La nueva prioridad de los Warriors tras perder el fichaje de LeBron