Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, and the Golden State Warriors made a strong pitch to sign LeBron James this summer. Ultimately, the future Hall of Famer went to the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million contract.
Green made some interesting comments after James made his free-agent decision, and one analyst completely disagrees with the Golden State forward.
Kendrick Perkins Blasts Draymond Green After LeBron James’ Decision
Green had this to say after James signed with the 76ers.
“I don’t think [LeBron] was ever able to get over the history, and I understand it … He’s gonna get crushed if he comes to the Warriors. ‘Oh man, you went to team up with [Stephen Curry] …’ That weighed in on the decision a lot … played a big role in the Warriors not landing LeBron,” the four-time All-Star commented.
ESPN’s Shams Charania announced James’ deal with Philadelphia on July 24, but unsurprisingly, this news is still at the top of the NBA discourse. ESPN analyst and 2008 NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, Kendrick Perkins, appeared on “First Take” on July 29. He vehemently disagreed with Green’s stance on why James did not go to Golden State.
“[Green] is delusional. That played no part. The history of what they went through … had nothing to do with LeBron James’ decision … When you look at the Golden State Warriors’ roster, … there’s too much uncertainty … The best landing spot for LeBron James was in the Eastern Conference,” said Perkins.
“[Draymond Green’s] delusional. That played no part.” @KendrickPerkins reacts to Draymond Green’s comments on LeBron not signing with the Warriors 👀 pic.twitter.com/94k7MxIYFy
— First Take (@FirstTake) July 29, 2026
The former 14-year NBA veteran was not confident in putting the Warriors in championship contention with other Western Conference squads. Kristaps Porziņģis only played 32 games last season between the Warriors and Atlanta Hawks due to illness and Achilles tendinitis.
Jimmy Butler will spend most, if not all, of this season recovering from a torn right ACL. These are two pieces who might not be on the court, resulting in Golden State falling out of title contention.
In contrast, the 76ers became a championship-caliber squad after they traded for Jaylen Brown. This bold move caught James’ attention, and he felt he had the best shot at winning his fifth title if he teamed up with Brown, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid.
While questions about Embiid’s health remain, the 76ers’ starting lineup should be a force to be reckoned with. In fact, Bleacher Report ranked Philadelphia’s starting five as the best five-man group in the league.
James’ playmaking and slashing will take pressure off Embiid and Maxey. Maxey led the association, playing 38.0 minutes per game in 2025-26. This number will likely come down now that James can run the offense. Brown’s scoring and shot creation will come in handy, especially when one Embiid and Maxey sit on the bench.
James made his free agency decision based on winning a championship. Perkins thinks he is way more likely to find that success in Philadelphia than in Golden State.
