The New York Knicks are gearing up for a new season, and following their stellar 2024-25 run, the wind is on their backs. Now, the team has a new head coach in Mike Brown, and they have some returning favorites, such as star player Jalen Brunson, so hopefully it will make for the perfect mix heading into the 2025-26 season.
During the offseason, there are always all sorts of crazy rumors, and one of them during this offseason has been the idea of LeBron James being traded to the New York Knicks from the Los Angeles Lakers. While it’s easy to write this idea off as simply fantasy, Knicks and James enthusiasts shouldn’t count it out just yet.
NBA insider Marc Stein is explaining why the idea of James playing for the Knicks will always be out there.
Why LeBron James to the Knicks Pitch Still Lives
In a July 26 feature on Substack, Marc Stein says the reason the idea of James playing for the Knicks will always be alive is simply because James loves Madison Square Garden.
Writing in his newsletter The Stein Line, Stein stated, “I believe that James’ well-chronicled fondness for playing at Madison Square Garden makes it unwise to say he’ll never be a Knick.”
So, it could happen. But, will it happen? It would be a stretch to say that LeBron going to the Knicks is a super realistic option. Although, for a big personality such as James, playing basketball in the biggest market in the country would be a huge draw. Los Angeles, of course, is the second biggest market, but retiring from the Big Apple would be something else.
LeBron to the Knicks is a Stretch
Atticus O’Brien-Pappalardo of The Daily Knicks recognizes that the idea of James coming to the Knicks if far-fetched. In a piece published on Sunday, July 27, O’Brien-Pappalardo says that with the place James is in his career, it seems unlikely that the Knicks would be a good fit for him.
“In years past, the Knicks, along with every other team in the league, would have gutted their roster for a chance to land James,” he states in the feature. “That said, he is entering a season in which he will be turning 41 years of age. As much as it seems like he will be able to play forever, Father Time comes for everyone.”
O’Brien-Pappalardo, “The Knicks are on the doorstep of competing for a championship. It is hard to believe they would trade a player, let alone multiple, to land James at this stage of his career. If he were to be bought out by the Lakers, perhaps things would change, although that also feels unlikely.”
But, even looking at James’ age, he really hasn’t slowed down much on the court. He’s still one of the best players in the NBA, so that’s something to take into account when considering a Knicks trade for James. They wouldn’t be getting your average 41-year-old NBA player. James is much more than that, and he would bring excitement to the franchise, too. But, it’s still a far-fetched idea.
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