LeBron James finally made the big call by signing with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency. During the free agency decision frenzy, the Cleveland Cavaliers appeared to be the sentimental favorites for a grand return. A reunion with the Miami Heat also gained serious traction.
After the announcement of James picking the 76ers, analysts slammed the Cavs for their inaction. But for one analyst, Cleveland was not the ‘biggest loser’ in James’ free agency sweepstakes.
Bill Simmons Highlights Real Casualties in the Bay Area After LeBron James Decision
Bill Simmons took a different take on the James recruitment situation. He dismissed the Cleveland criticism and pointed the finger at the Golden State Warriors.
Golden State completely failed to capitalize on the moment, leaving Stephen Curry stranded. The Warriors’ front office watched another prime opportunity slip away while clutching onto unproven youth prospects.
The franchise was considered among the contenders to get James, but their hesitancy directly cost them a chance to pair Curry with the four-time champion and possibly get their championship ambitions back on track.
“Who was the biggest loser of the LeBron saga?” Simmons noted. “… Steph Curry I had as my number one loser. It’s his last chance for relevance, and it’s gone”
Simmons likened the situation to Steve Nash’s final years in Phoenix or Kevin Garnett’s pre-trade era in Minnesota.
“Why are you so desperate just to waste the end of the Steph era?”@BillSimmons on why Steph Curry and the Warriors are the biggest losers from the LeBron free agency saga. pic.twitter.com/gtgaE82vzm
— The Ringer (@ringer) July 27, 2026
“I wrote down it is the saddest older NBA superstar situation since 2011 [Steve] Nash on the Suns and 2007 [Kevin] Garnett before he got traded to Boston. There’s a couple of pieces to this. One is why didn’t they [Warriors] trade for Jaylen Brown? They weren’t interested in that,” Simmons said.
Philadelphia secured James because they upgraded their roster, which made them a favorable landing spot for the 41-year-old.
Something the Warriors failed to do.
“They weren’t interested. They didn’t even counter,” Simmons argued. “And the irony is, if they do that, I think LeBron goes there. Why are you so desperate just to waste the end of the of the Steph era?”
“Do they just think maybe Steph can’t be the best guy in a championship team anymore?” Simmons wondered. “22′ can never happen again. So even stacking the deck, they have no chance against San Antonio and OKC?… I think it’s outrageous”
Curry, who was open to playing alongside James, broke his silence on the 76ers’ blockbuster deal. “That’s why you don’t envision anything until it happens. There’s a lot of moving parts.”
By stepping into a fully loaded Philadelphia rotation featuring Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, James avoided the exact fate Curry has been condemned to: being forced to shoulder a massive offensive burden alone.
