“Old-School” Avengers: Inside the Warriors’ Insane Push for LeBron and AD

Shams Charania dropped a tweet that sent the entire basketball world into an absolute tailspin. Draymond Green is officially declining his $27.7 million player option for the 2026–27 season. On paper, losing a franchise cornerstone looks like the end of an era. In reality? It feels like the opening scene of an audacious heist movie.

Draymond isn’t walking away from the Bay. He’s opening the door—and leaving it wide open—for an unprecedented, jaw-dropping roster reshuffle. The goal? Creating an unthinkable “Big 4” by bringing LeBron James and Anthony Davis to team up with Stephen Curry and Draymond himself.

How the Money Works (Without Melting Your Brain)

If you’re wondering how a team can afford Steph Curry’s $62.6 million salary and somehow shoehorn LeBron and AD onto the same roster, you aren’t alone. It takes some Olympic-level cap gymnastics.

By opting out, Draymond is executing a calculated flexibility move. Here is the blueprint the Warriors are trying to pull off:

• The LeBron Loophole: The Warriors plan to use their non-taxpayer mid-level exception (worth about $15 million) to sign an unrestricted LeBron James in free agency.
• The AD Trade: Davis is currently on the Washington Wizards’ roster after a turbulent midseason trade from Dallas. To absorb his $58.5 million contract, the Warriors would likely have to construct a blockbuster trade centered around a matching max salary, like Jimmy Butler.
• The Hard Cap Sacrifice: Triggering the mid-level exception hard-caps the Warriors at the first apron of $209 million. To make this work, both Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis would have to re-sign on incredibly deep, team-friendly discounts.
• The Reality Check: Will Draymond actually take a massive pay cut to facilitate this? He is represented by Klutch Sports, just like LeBron and AD. When it comes to a coordinated superstar alliance to chase one last ring, never say never.

Can This Foursome Actually Make a Deep Finals Run?

Let’s be real. If this happens, it will be the most famous, most scrutinized, and arguably highest-IQ basketball team ever assembled. Combined, a core of Steph, LeBron, AD, and Draymond boasts 11 NBA Championships.

But could they actually win it all, or is this just an expensive trip to the basketball nursing home?

Why It’s a Basketball Cheat Code

On the court, the fit is terrifying. Imagine a pick-and-roll where Stephen Curry handles the ball, LeBron James screens, and Anthony Davis rolls to the rim while Draymond Green orchestrates from the high post. Defenses would literally collapse under the sheer cognitive load of trying to stop them.

Defensively, a healthy AD paired with an energized Draymond gives you an impenetrable frontline. They would utterly erase mistakes on the perimeter, allowing Steph and LeBron to conserve their energy for the offensive end.

The Elephant in the Room: Father Time and the Injury Report

As incredible as it sounds, we have to look at the ledger realistically:

• The Age Factor: LeBron James is 41 years old. He’s still elite (averaging 20.9 points last season), but he is human.
• AD’s Health: Anthony Davis didn’t even suit up for the Wizards after his February trade due to severe ligament damage in his left hand. Expecting him to anchor a grueling championship run is always a calculated risk.
• The Bench Depth: Hard-capping themselves means the rest of the roster will be filled out by rookies, minimum-contract veterans, and unproven youth. One turned ankle could derail the entire experiment.

In the End

If this legendary foursome can stay upright for May and June, they absolutely make a deep run at the Finals. Roster depth matters during the grueling 82-game regular season, but when the playoffs arrive, and rotations shrink to seven or eight players, top-heavy star power wins. You simply don’t bet against the combined basketball minds of Steph, LeBron, and Draymond when they have a dominant AD anchoring the paint.

It’s a massive, high-stakes gamble that feels more like NBA video game fan fiction than real life. But as free agency opens, the Warriors are making one thing very clear: they aren’t going gently into that good night. They’re trying to break the league one last time.