This is the off-season where the New York Knicks are being linked to potential star free agents, and while the rumors haven't officially started yet, they're likely to start soon.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, the Knicks are looking at this summer as an opportunity to acquire a star player, and while the same thing was said last offseason (and the offseason before), there's every reason to believe this is the summer the Knicks will be taking a big gamble.
Media speculation has been ongoing regarding the future of several players, including Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker, with the former expected to be traded rather than sign an extension this summer and the latter expected to remain with the Suns, and perhaps a surprise star player decides to leave the team and New York snaps up the team.
One superstar has a big decision to make about his future this summer: LeBron James has a $51.4 million player option for 2024-2025 that he can decline and become an unrestricted free agent. He could choose to be traded, stay with the Lakers, or decline the option and re-sign with LA.
It seems LeBron is staying, but the speculation will continue. The Knicks have always been mentioned as a possible destination for the 39-year-old LeBron because of his situation. It makes sense to consider that possibility, and the media would love it. Where else could LeBron be better off staying in New York?
Greg Schwartz of Bleacher Report wrote a piece about “surprising” destinations for rumored players, including LeBron. As expected, Schwartz named the Knicks as a possible destination for James. New York “was never good enough for LeBron to seriously consider playing there,” Schwartz wrote, but things have changed.
Ironically, the tables are turned. LeBron is still playing at a high level, but he'll be 40 at the end of the year. It's not 2010 anymore. The Knicks shouldn't sacrifice their future and talent for him. Swartz suggested the Knicks could build a team around Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic, Miles McBride and a first-round draft pick. He also said that star players would have to take pay cuts to get to New York.
The NBA would love to have LeBron in the Big Apple, but that hope is gone. And no, the Knicks shouldn't have drafted Bronny James to acquire his father. New York is where it is because of Leon Rose's perseverance. LeBron is LeBron, but he's no longer the LeBron he once was.
