Warriors Offseason Doubts
Dieter Kurtenbach criticizes Warriors' offseason inaction despite LeBron James, Anthony Davis rumors.
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The Golden State Warriors have spent the summer talking about landing LeBron James and Anthony Davis — but they have not done anything yet. Columnist Dieter Kurtenbach argues the Warriors front office has a long track record of big rumors and empty hands, and that fans should stop giving them the benefit of the doubt until real moves get made. The Mercury News published the column on June 29, just one day before NBA free agency opened.
The stakes could not be higher. Stephen Curry is 38. Draymond Green opted out of a $27.7 million contract to create salary room. Jimmy Butler is rehabbing a torn ACL. And the Warriors still have not closed a single major deal, according to Fresno Bee.
Warriors' Big Swing at LeBron and Davis Explained
The plan is ambitious. Golden State wants to trade for Anthony Davis — currently with the Washington Wizards at a $58.5 million salary — then sign LeBron James in free agency. To make the Davis trade work financially, the Warriors would have to send Butler's $56.8 million expiring contract to Washington, along with two future first-round picks and four pick swaps, per Heavy Sports.
LeBron's side of the deal is even harder. To fit Golden State's books, James would have to accept a $15.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception — a massive pay cut from the 3-year, $182 million max the Lakers could still offer him. Davis would then become eligible for a 4-year, $275 million max extension on August 6, money the Warriors would likely have to commit to securing him, according to Kansas.com.
Front Office Has a History of Blinking First
Kurtenbach's core argument is that this is not new. In 2024, the Warriors refused to include young guard Brandin Podziemski in a trade package for Lauri Markkanen. The Utah Jazz extended Markkanen instead. Golden State got nothing. Kurtenbach calls that failure the main reason Dunleavy's front office no longer deserves trust on big decisions, according to Sports Illustrated reporting cited in the column.
The Warriors were also linked to Paul George before he signed with Philadelphia. GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. later described the challenge as walking a "fine line between impatience and undisciplined." To Kurtenbach, that framing is the problem. The team keeps finding reasons not to act rather than reasons to pull the trigger, per The News and Observer.
Rival Agents May Be Playing Warriors for Leverage
Not everyone believes the Warriors are serious buyers. ESPN's Brian Windhorst has expressed "league-wide skepticism," suggesting that Klutch Sports — the agency that represents LeBron, Davis, and Draymond Green — may be using Golden State's interest to push their current teams to offer bigger deals. In other words, the Warriors could be a bargaining chip, not a real destination, according to Myrtle Beach Online.
Dunleavy's public statements have not helped quiet that suspicion. At his pre-draft press conference on June 17, he said the team must fix "fundamental mistakes" rather than chase "one more piece." That sounds like a front office focused on rebuilding — not one preparing to sign a 41-year-old LeBron James to a cut-rate deal, per San Luis Obispo Tribune.
The Oldest Superteam Ever Would Be a Huge Gamble
If all three moves land — Davis, LeBron, and a restructured Green deal — the Warriors' starting core would average 37 years old. Curry is 38, Green is 36, James is 41, and Davis is 33. Bill Simmons dubbed the group "The Expendables." It would be the oldest superteam ever built in NBA history, according to Tri-City Herald.
There is also a familiar roadblock. The front office reportedly views rookie Yaxel Lendeborg — the 23-year-old forward they drafted 11th overall on June 23 — as untouchable in any Davis trade. That mirrors the Podziemski situation exactly. Kurtenbach's warning is blunt: if training camp opens in September with no new star on the roster, the Warriors will have proven his point, per The Modesto Bee.
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