The shock of LeBron James’ move to the Philadelphia 76ers may have worn off. But some are still nursing the heartbreak of seeing that Steph Curry team-up never happened. But the underlying reason behind his choice might rest on Stephen Curry’s knees. Rather than forming a star-studded union in the Bay Area, James may have recoiled at the sheer physical workload expected of him on a banged-up Golden State roster.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Appearing on the Tom Tolbert Show, The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II revealed that Curry’s lingering knee troubles directly altered James’ free-agency move. After watching the Warriors crumble amid midseason health setbacks, James hesitated to enter a situation in which taking time off wasn’t an option.
“You just got to look now and say, ‘I don’t even want Steph playing 70 games,’ because if he’s playing 70, you know what I’m saying?” Thompson noted, addressing Curry’s durability.
He added, “I think that’s one of the reasons Bron didn’t come here, because he’s like, ‘What’s—like, how many games I have to play for y’all? Like, what happens if I need two weeks off?’ Like, ‘Yeah, all right. Ain’t no room for that.”
Tolbert chimed in on the Warriors demanding payroll expectations, joking, “Sorry, Chief. We’re paying you six million. You gotta get out there.”
Thompson agreed, pointing out that LeBron ultimately avoided repeating the heavy burden he faced in Los Angeles. “And he just did that. He just… he gets to the playoffs, Luka’s hurt. And now he’s like back in a position where it’s like, ‘Bro, I got to do everything. Like, I would like to be carried.’ Warriors can’t carry,” Thompson explained. “Warriors like, ‘We need you to come do some carrying, right? Like, I need you to get us through December.'”
The knees in Golden State were cursed in the 2025-26 campaign. Jimmy Butler suffered an ACL tear in mid-January, while starting wing Moses Moody tore his patellar tendon in March. Both remain sidelined for the start of the upcoming season.
Steph Curry himself missed over 20 games due to “runner’s knee,” returning for just four regular-season games before the Dubs’ play-in exit. While Draymond Green reportedly courted Bron in the offseason, there was a concern about adding a 41-year-old to an injury-ridden lineup.
Knowing the Warriors will be shorthanded until Butler returns around Christmas and Moody after the All-Star break, Curry has been forced to revamp his summer regimen. Speaking to NBC Sports’ Monte Poole, Curry confirmed he is taking a “more patient approach” to preserve his body.
“Quality over quantity, and the idea that I can still get to the level that I need to. Just being a little bit more mindful of how to balance a four-month summer, knowing that I need the rest.”
Despite missing out on James, the Warriors maintained bench stability by finally signing Georges Niang (who sat out last season with an injury) and Brandon Williams. The Warriors now shift focus to securing Curry to an extension.
As Thompson framed it, the Warriors won’t enter playoff matchups as favorites, but with Curry managing his load, the franchise maintains its championship ambition, even without a superstar’s help.