Knicks Could Be Landing Spot for LeBron James
The NBA free agency class could get a lot more interesting if Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James opts out of his $51 million player option.
James' agent Rich Paul alluded to that idea in a recent TNT broadcast.
"LeBron is a free agent," Paul said during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on TNT to insider Chris Haynes. "I don't know what he's gonna do. We're gonna do what we do every year. We're gonna evaluate the situation and we're gonna make the best decision."
If LeBron is seriously considering an exit to the Lakers, could he change coasts and join the New York Knicks?
The Knicks would obviously love the prospect of adding the league's all-time points leader to a team that nearly made the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks have made it no secret that they want to add a star, so adding the league's biggest and brightest would likely align with their desires.
The good thing about signing LeBron instead of trading for a player like Donovan Mitchell or Kevin Durant is that it wouldn't cost as much. As a free agent, the Knicks could simply bring him on board, though it's more likely that the team would use the sign-and-trade method.
The Knicks could trade for LeBron after he signs a new deal with the Lakers and trade Julius Randle back to the team that drafted him to open up his spot in the starting lineup. This would also give the team more flexibility to sign OG Anunoby and/or Isaiah Hartenstein, both of whom are free agents.
The Knicks would also be able to hold on to their future assets for a deal down the line that would allow the team to extend their championship window after the 39-year-old eventually departs.
Having LeBron on the Knicks may only be a one-year project, but all 30 teams would take a single season with him over nothing. The Knicks could even entice LeBron further to join the team by using one of their two first-round picks on his son, Bronny James.
Simply put, if the Knicks have the opportunity to truly bring LeBron to the Big Apple, they should explore it.
JEREMY BRENER
Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.