The New York Knicks were oh so close to reaching the NBA Finals. LeBron James is oh so close to retirement.
In fact, many believe this will be LeBron's final season after he opted into his player contract. There have been reports that James' wife, Savannah, wants him to "[expletive] retire."
James has stated that he is open to the possibility of being traded, knowing the Lakers may need to get younger and build their new core around Luka Dončić. Dončić, of course, came over in a trade from Dallas in February.
“I do not think LeBron James is going to be traded,” Brian Windhorst said on ESPN's "Get Up" on Monday. “Neither today or tomorrow or in a month or in three months.”
But much of the same talk was said about Luka Dončić—and the next thing you know, he was with the Los Angeles Lakers.
As trade rumors pick up, one team in particular has been mentioned as a potential destination for James.
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Is LeBron James going to the Knicks?
Fans began to speculate that James might be interested in becoming a Knick when he appeared to say, "I ain't mad looking at New York" in a viral video. However, there is currently no reporting around him being traded to the Knicks.
The Knicks do have the assets that could make them trade partners with the Lakers if the two sides get serious. A package centered around O.G. Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and some other players or salary pieces could entice Los Angeles.
If you pair James with Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, you’d have a very strong chance at winning the Eastern Conference in 2026.
Greg Swartz of the Bleacher Report also made a good point about James' legacy.
"Winning a championship in Cleveland, a franchise that had never won a title, did an immeasurable amount for James' legacy. Helping the Knicks win a ring, their first in 53 years, would signify a major career milestone as well."
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Meanwhile, the Knicks are close to naming their next head coach.
New York has reportedly offered Mike Brown the job to replace Tom Thibodeau. Brown and James have a long history together. In fact, Brown has won over 260 games with LeBron on his team, an overall win percentage of over 68%.
Brown coached in Cleveland from 2005 to 2010, and again briefly after his stint with the Lakers from 2011 to 2013. He took a break from head coaching from 2014 to 2022, then spent two full seasons, and part of a third, leading the Sacramento Kings through the 2024-25 season.
The summer is heating up, and so are the NBA trade rumors. Whether James ends up with the Knicks is certainly one of the hottest topics.
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