The NBA free agency class could get a lot more interesting if Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James opts out of his $51 million player option.
James' agent Rich Paul alluded to that idea in a recent TNT broadcast.
"LeBron is a free agent," Paul said during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on TNT to insider Chris Haynes. "I don't know what he's gonna do. We're gonna do what we do every year. We're gonna evaluate the situation and we're gonna make the best decision."
If LeBron is seriously considering an exit to the Lakers, could he change coasts and join the New York Knicks?
The Knicks would obviously love the prospect of adding the league's all-time points leader to a team that nearly made the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks have made it no secret that they want to add a star, so adding the league's biggest and brightest would likely align with their desires.
The good thing about signing LeBron instead of trading for a player like Donovan Mitchell or Kevin Durant is that it wouldn't cost as much. As a free agent, the Knicks could simply bring him on board, though it's more likely that the team would use the sign-and-trade method.
The Knicks could trade for LeBron after he signs a new deal with the Lakers and trade Julius Randle back to the team that drafted him to open up his spot in the starting lineup. This would also give the team more flexibility to sign OG Anunoby and/or Isaiah Hartenstein, both of whom are free agents.
The Knicks would also be able to hold on to their future assets for a deal down the line that would allow the team to extend their championship window after the 39-year-old eventually departs.
Having LeBron on the Knicks may only be a one-year project, but all 30 teams would take a single season with him over nothing. The Knicks could even entice LeBron further to join the team by using one of their two first-round picks on his son, Bronny James.
Simply put, if the Knicks have the opportunity to truly bring LeBron to the Big Apple, they should explore it.
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