Jeremy Lin does not believe adding LeBron James would automatically turn the Golden State Warriors into NBA championship contenders, pointing to the team’s age, lack of athleticism and the challenge of competing against the Western Conference’s top teams.
Speaking about the possibility of James joining Golden State, Lin said the Warriors would still need significant roster improvements to compete with the league’s elite.
“That’s not a championship contending team, even with LeBron,” Lin said. “I don’t see them beating OKC, I don’t see them beating San Antonio unless there is some serious injuries. I think they need some youth, they need energy, they need some burst, they need multiple guys who are young and can bring a lot of energy.”
Golden State finished the 2025-26 regular season 37-45, earning the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference and missing the playoffs after losing in the Play-In Tournament. The Warriors finished 27 games behind the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who went 64-18, and 25 games behind the San Antonio Spurs, who finished second in the West at 62-20 before winning the conference and reaching the NBA Finals.
The Warriors’ core remains built around Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and veteran additions, but their age profile is a concern. Curry averaged 26.6 points, 4.7 assists and 4.7 three-pointers made per game while shooting 39.3% from three-point range in 43 games at age 37.
Jimmy Butler, acquired to help extend Golden State’s championship window, averaged 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 38 games while shooting 51.9% from the field. However, Butler is also entering his age-37 season and is recovering from torn ACL, while Green is 35 and Al Horford is 39.
The Warriors have explored multiple avenues to reshape the roster around Curry, including pursuing James and attempting to acquire Anthony Davis from the Washington Wizards. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Golden State is currently behind the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers in the race for James, with no significant progress made on a Davis trade.
A potential James move would add another elite playmaker to Golden State’s offense. James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games during the 2025-26 season at age 41. However, Lin believes the Warriors would still lack the youth and athleticism needed to challenge teams like Oklahoma City and San Antonio.
Golden State has attempted to add younger pieces, selecting Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and retaining young players such as Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody. Podziemski averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists during the 2025-26 season, while Moody averaged 12.1 points and shot 40.1% from three-point range.
The Warriors’ pursuit of James remains one of the offseason’s biggest storylines, but Lin believes a single addition would not solve the roster issues exposed during a 37-win season.
