The Golden State Warriors’ 2025-26 season ended in disappointment. A Play-In Tournament loss to the Phoenix Suns. No playoffs. No championship. Just questions.
But here’s the thing about dynasties: they don’t die quietly. And according to The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, the Warriors might not be done reloading — they might be planning a nuclear detonation.
“I am all in on LeBron (James) going to Golden State next year,” Simmons said sarcastically on his podcast Monday. “Can I have Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson join him? Let’s go full ‘Expendables,’ and Golden State ends up with LeBron, (Steph) Curry, Durant, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Al Horford.”
Simmons was joking. Sort of. But as with most Bill Simmons jokes, there’s a kernel of truth buried beneath the sarcasm. The Warriors are facing an uncertain summer. Stephen Curry is 38. Draymond Green is 36. Steve Kerr’s future is reportedly being decided this week. The championship window is closing — but it’s not closed yet.
And if the Warriors are going to make one last desperate push for a title, why not aim for the moon? Why not target LeBron James, who is slated to become a free agent? Why not circle back to Kevin Durant, who might be available if the Houston Rockets get swept? Why not bring Klay Thompson — yes, that Klay Thompson — back home to the Bay?
It’s absurd. It’s unrealistic. It’s almost certainly impossible.
But let’s entertain the fantasy anyway. Because in the NBA, impossible things have a way of happening. And the Warriors have a way of making the unbelievable… believable.
Let’s break down Simmons’ “Expendables” scenario, why each piece could — in theory — move, and what would actually have to happen for the Warriors to assemble the most geriatric superteam in NBA history.
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Part 1: The LeBron Piece — A Free Agent with Nothing to Prove
Let’s start with the most realistic — yes, realistic — part of Simmons’ proposal.
LeBron James is slated to become a free agent this summer. He’s 41 years old. He just led a shorthanded Lakers team to a 3-1 first-round lead over the Houston Rockets without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. He’s still, somehow, a top-10 player in the world.
And he has no reason to stay in Los Angeles if the Lakers don’t give him one.
The Lakers have been a mess. Injuries have derailed their season. The front office has made questionable decisions. LeBron is chasing one more championship before he retires — and he might not believe he can get it in purple and gold.
Enter the Warriors.
Golden State can offer LeBron something no other team can: a chance to play alongside Stephen Curry, the greatest shooter in NBA history. A chance to join a dynasty that already has four rings. A chance to add another chapter to his legacy in the most dramatic way possible.
The fit? Questionable. LeBron and Curry have never played together. Both need the ball in their hands to be most effective. Both are used to being the alpha. But great players figure it out. LeBron and Dwyane Wade figured it out. LeBron and Kyrie Irving figured it out. LeBron and Anthony Davis figured it out.
LeBron and Curry? That’s a nightmare for opposing defenses.
The biggest obstacle is money. The Warriors don’t have cap space. LeBron would have to take a significant pay cut — or the Warriors would have to execute a complex sign-and-trade. Neither is impossible. Both are unlikely.
But unlikely isn’t the same as impossible.
Part 2: The Durant Piece — A Reunion That Almost Happened
Now let’s talk about Kevin Durant.
Durant has two years and $90 million left on his contract with the Houston Rockets. But the Rockets are on the verge of getting swept by the Lakers. A team that mortgaged its future for Durant is about to exit the playoffs in the first round. That’s a disaster.
If the Rockets decide to blow it up — and reports suggest they might — Durant could become available.
Would he waive his no-trade clause to return to Golden State? He previously said no. In 2025, when the Suns were shopping him, Durant vetoed a trade to the Warriors. He said it “didn’t make sense” to him. He pushed back on the idea that he didn’t want to play with Draymond Green again, but his actions spoke louder than his words.
But that was then. This is now.
The Warriors have changed. Jimmy Butler is gone (presumably). The roster looks different. And Durant just wasted a year in Houston — a year where he got hurt, his team underperformed, and he watched the playoffs from the bench.
Maybe he’s ready to come home. Maybe he’s ready to admit that the best basketball of his career was played in the Bay Area. Maybe winning cures all wounds.
If Durant returns to Golden State, the Warriors immediately become title favorites. Curry and Durant together won two championships. They know how to play with each other. The chemistry is already there.
The question is whether the Warriors have the assets to make a trade work. They don’t have many. But if the Rockets are desperate to move Durant — and if Durant is willing to force his way to only one destination — then the Warriors could potentially get him for a fraction of his value.
Part 3: The Klay Piece — A Homecoming for the Original Splash Brother
This is the most sentimental part of Simmons’ proposal — and perhaps the most unlikely.
Klay Thompson is not currently a member of the Golden State Warriors. He left in free agency two years ago. He’s played for other teams. He’s older now. He’s not the same defender he once was. He’s not the same shooter — though he’s still pretty good.
But the idea of Klay coming back to finish what he started? That’s powerful.
Thompson is the second greatest shooter in NBA history. He was the perfect complement to Curry. He didn’t need the ball. He didn’t need to be the alpha. He just needed to run off screens, catch, and shoot.
The Warriors’ offense has never been the same without him. The spacing, the chemistry, the vibes — something has been missing ever since he left.
Bringing Klay back wouldn’t just be a basketball move. It would be a spiritual one. It would be a signal that the Warriors are trying to recapture the magic of the dynasty years.
Could it happen? Sure. Klay is a free agent. The Warriors could sign him to a veteran minimum deal. He might be willing to take a pay cut for one last ride with Curry and Green.
But would he? Klay has always been proud. He’s always believed in his own value. Taking a minimum contract might feel like an admission that he’s no longer the player he once was. And Klay Thompson has never been good at admitting that.
Still, the possibility exists. And in a fantasy scenario, anything is possible.
Part 4: The Horford and Green Pieces — The Veterans Who Hold It Together
Simmons also mentioned Al Horford and Draymond Green. Let’s not forget about them.
Horford has a player option with the Warriors. If Steve Kerr leaves — as has been speculated — Horford might opt out and become a free agent. Or he might stay. He’s 40 years old. He’s nearing the end. But he can still play. He proved that in the Play-In Tournament, hitting four fourth-quarter threes to keep the Warriors alive.
Green is the emotional core of the Warriors. He has a player option too. If the Warriors are serious about winning, they’ll bring him back. He’s the defensive quarterback. He’s the trash-talker. He’s the guy who makes the whole thing work.
If the Warriors somehow land LeBron, Durant, and Klay, Green would be the glue. He would be the one setting screens, making defensive calls, and yelling at everyone to stay focused.
Horford would be the steady veteran off the bench — the professional who does his job and doesn’t complain.
Together, with Curry, that’s a starting five that could compete with any team in the league. It’s old. It’s slow. It’s expensive. But it’s also the most experienced, most accomplished, most terrifying lineup in basketball.
Part 5: The Kerr Question — Does the Coach Matter?
All of this speculation is complicated by one crucial factor: Steve Kerr’s future.
The Warriors are expected to make a decision about Kerr’s future this week. He’s been the head coach since 2014. He’s won four championships. He’s revolutionized the game. But he might be tired. He might want a break. He might step away.
If Kerr leaves, the Warriors’ coaching job becomes one of the most attractive in the league. A chance to coach Curry, Green, and whatever other stars they assemble? That’s a dream job.
But it’s also a pressure cooker. Whoever takes over will be expected to win immediately. There will be no grace period. No rebuilding years. Just championships or bust.
Could a new coach integrate LeBron, Durant, and Klay into the same offense? That’s a challenge. These are three players who have defined an era. They have egos. They have preferences. They have histories with each other — some good, some not so good.
The right coach could make it work. The wrong coach would oversee a disaster.
Part 6: The Realism Check — Why This Probably Won’t Happen
Let’s pause for a reality check.
LeBron James is not leaving Los Angeles. He’s building a post-playing empire there. His son is in the area. His business interests are there. He’s comfortable.
Kevin Durant already said no to a Warriors reunion. He had a chance to come back and he passed. Unless the next few weeks dramatically change his mind — unless he watches the Rockets get swept and decides he can’t waste another year — he’s probably staying put or going somewhere else.
Klay Thompson? The Warriors moved on. He moved on. Sometimes you can’t go home again.
And even if all three were willing, the Warriors don’t have the cap space or the trade assets to make it happen. They would need LeBron to take a massive pay cut. They would need the Rockets to accept a weak trade package for Durant. They would need Klay to sign for the veteran minimum.
That’s not a plan. That’s a miracle.
Bill Simmons knows this. He was being sarcastic. But sarcasm is sometimes a way of saying “wouldn’t it be crazy if…” And in the NBA, crazy things happen.
Part 7: The Verdict — What Should the Warriors Actually Do?
So after all that fantasy, what should the Warriors actually do this summer?
The smart move is to focus on one star, not three.
If LeBron is available, pursue him aggressively. He’s the best player on the market. He fills a need (playmaking, scoring, leadership). And he’s a free agent — no trade assets required.
If Durant is available, explore a trade. He’s still elite. He knows the system. He’s won with Curry before. But don’t mortgage the entire future for a 38-year-old with an injury history.
If neither is possible, retool around Curry and Green. Add shooting. Add defense. Add depth. Try to make one more run before the window closes completely.
The “Expendables” scenario is fun to imagine. A superteam of aging legends, all chasing one last ring together. It would be must-see TV. It would break the internet. It would be the most talked-about team in NBA history.
But it’s not happening. Not all of it, anyway.
One piece? Maybe. Two? Doubtful. Three? Impossible.
But in the NBA, “impossible” has a funny way of becoming “inevitable.”
Ask Kevin Durant. He said he’d never leave Oklahoma City. Then he did.
Ask LeBron James. He said he’d never leave Cleveland. Then he did.
Ask Klay Thompson. He said he’d retire a Warrior. Then he didn’t.
Never say never in the NBA.