Knicks Trade Idea Lands LeBron James

The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks could negotiate a LeBron James trade.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks and the rest of the NBA are keeping an eye on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers after the King accepted his $52 million player option.

The player option makes LeBron a free agent next summer and the move has triggered talks of a potential trade.

Sporting News writer Robert Irby suggested a trade that would send Karl-Anthony Towns and Ariel Hukporti to the Lakers for LeBron and Bronny James.

"This is the simplest option as Towns and LeBron's 2025 salaries ($53.1 million and $52.6 million, respectively) are very close," Irby wrote.

"Hukporti gets tossed in as another minimum salary to match Bronny's. The Knicks get a second reliable, experienced player to help them make another deep playoff run (Towns struggled in some key moments this year in the playoffs), while the Lakers get a great offensive big man to pair with Luka Doncic for the foreseeable future."

This blockbuster deal would change a lot of things for the Knicks. Not only would it get them a new offensive hub in LeBron and a partner for Jalen Brunson, but it would force them to add a new starting center.

The likeliest option for the Knicks would be Mitchell Robinson, who came off the bench for Towns many times during the playoffs. He is on the final year of his contract, so it could be risky putting all the eggs in this year's basket, but the Knicks have mentioned how locked in they are about winning a championship as soon as possible.

Adding LeBron in a trade for Towns would push the Knicks closer to a championship, so the team should accept an offer if it ever came into fruition.

In the meantime, the Knicks are getting ready for the Las Vegas Summer League, which runs from July 10-20.

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