The 2024 Summer Olympics offered several glimmers of hope for the Los Angeles Lakers. Nothing was more fascinating than watching franchise players Anthony Davis and LeBron James star in leading roles as Team USA overcame several close calls to win the gold medal.
In the long run, however, there may have been no more significant development than James playing alongside his long-time rival Stephen Curry.
Curry and James are the standout stars of their generation. Since 2010/11, they have won eight of the 14 championships together, even faced each other in four NBA Finals and met in the second round of the 2023 postseason.
In a recent interview with People’s Natasha Dye, Curry talked about his experience transforming James from a rival to a teammate – and his hope that there will be more opportunities to share the court together in the future.
“‘Hopefully we’ll have more experiences in the future, whether we’re teammates or not,’ he adds, pointing out that the two basketball greats ‘will still have to compete against each other until it’s all over’ when they return to their respective NBA teams for a new season in October.'”
It’s a relatively ambiguous quote, but just mentioning the possibility that the two could be teammates again in the future is sure to raise eyebrows.
In addition to their eight combined championships, Curry and James are among the most decorated individual players of all time. Together they have won six regular-season MVP awards and five Finals MVP awards, as well as three scoring titles, 30 All-NBA appearances and five seasons as the league’s statistical leaders.
Their individual successes were achieved in very different ways, but the Olympics were proof that their respective playing styles can complement each other perfectly.
The obvious obstacle is that Curry is preparing for his 16th season with the Golden State Warriors, the team that signed him in 2009. In an era where loyalty has taken on a different meaning, Curry is something of an organizational traditionalist.
Curry has stated that he hopes to finish his career with the Warriors, but there is still a bright spot as far as a future with another organization is concerned.
The clock is ticking for a possible Curry-James NBA matchup. James will turn 40 in December, while Curry will be 37 at the end of the 2024-25 regular season – both of which are the ages at which most players end their careers.
However, these two timeless wonders continue to defy traditional expectations by delivering superstar-level performances well into their 30s.
Last season, both Curry and James were named to the All-NBA Third Team. James, 39, averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 made three-pointers per game, while Curry, 36, averaged 26.4 points and 5.1 assists and led the Association with 4.8 made three-pointers per game.
If this legendary duo of surefire Hall of Famers ultimately find a way to become teammates before retiring from the NBA, the question will be as simple as it is franchise-defining: On which team would they join forces?
