LeBron James‘ future with the Los Angeles Lakers appears to be far from secure. The veteran superstar recently opted into his $52 million player option. However, he could find himself on the move before the end of the season. That’s where the New York Knicks could come into play.
According to Dan Favale of Bleacher Report, the Knicks should be viewed among the best landing spots for the legendary forward.
“LeBron James chose not to join the New York Knicks during 2010 free agency. Perhaps he can sport orange and blue more than 15 years later,” Favel wrote. “…LeBron’s age will be a deterrent. He turns 41 in December. But a straight-up swap for Karl-Anthony Towns has its merits. The big man is more than a decade younger, but the three years and $171.2 million left on his contract aren’t what you’d call ideal when stacked up against his defensive limitations and offensive inconsistencies.”
Adding LeBron would give the Knicks a significant boost in their hunt for a championship. Pairing him with Jalen Brunson would ensure the franchise had one of the best one-two punches in the entire NBA. Of course, LeBron’s minutes would need to be managed to ensure he’s healthy for the playoffs.
Fortunately, Favale’s idea of a straight Karl-Anthony Towns swap would mean the Knicks would keep their considerable depth.
Knicks’ New Head Coach Has a History With LeBron
Another reason the Knicks might be tempted to free LeBron from the Lakers is the recent addition of Mike Brown as head coach. Brown previously coached the superstar forward during their time together on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The duo spent five seasons together, from 2005 to 2010. Brown led the Cavaliers to 272 regular-season wins and 138 losses while coaching the LeBron-led franchise, winning the Eastern Conference in 2007.
LeBron could likely be tempted to reunite with his former coach for one last run at a championship. After all, the pair have unfinished business together and likely a mutual respect.
Lakers Could Be Willing to Trade LeBron
If the Knicks were to genuinely have an interest in acquiring LeBron, the Lakers may be amenable to trade discussions. During a July 2 appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today, Brian Windhorst reported that Los Angeles is viewing LeBron as an expiring contract heading into the new season.
“First off, LeBron wants to be a Laker. If he didn’t want to be a Laker, he would have opted out. He has a no-trade clause,” Brian Windhorst said on a July 2 episode of ESPN’s “NBA Today”. “… My conversations over the last three days have crystallized that the Lakers are essentially viewing LeBron as an expiring contract. … Never in his 23-year career, over the nine contracts he’s signed, over all the different teams he’s been on, he’s never been on the last year of his contract. He’s never been 40 years old. He’s never not been the franchise player on his team. … And what happens to expiring contracts in the NBA? They’re viewed as trade pieces.”
It’s unclear whether the Knicks would be interested in flipping Towns for an aging superstar in the final years of his career. However, if the front office truly believed that LeBron could lead them to the NBA Finals, we shouldn’t rule out the possibility that they at least make contact with Rob Pelinka or even Rich Paul.
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