The New York Knicks have been tied with Los Angeles Lakers superstar and future Hall of Famer LeBron James throughout the summer. While it is unlikely that James will be moved before the start of the season, his future with them could be in doubt after he opted into his $52.6 million player option.
The Knicks should stay far away from a LeBron James trade
The Lakers just handed superstar Luka Doncic a massive contract extension, a sign that they are preparing for life post-LeBron. If James were to hit the trade market this year before he hits free agency, many contending teams would pursue him as a final push to win a title, with the Knicks likely being one of them.
However, not everyone is sold on the idea of bringing James to the Big Apple. The New York Daily News’ Kristian Winfield detailed why the Knicks should avoid making a move for James at all.
“LeBron isn’t 53 years old — but he will make $52.6 million this season, his 23rd in the NBA. That means the Knicks — already hovering just under the second tax apron — would need to match LeBron’s salary in any trade. One clean solution: sending [Karl-Anthony] Towns to the Lakers. But news flash, Dallas: trading a 30-year-old star for a 40-year-old star is bad business,” Winfield wrote.
Swapping Towns for James would be an ultra-risky move, as it would significantly shorten the Knicks’ title window and risk losing the chemistry that was built between Towns and Jalen Brunson.
Trading for James would shorten the Knicks’ title window
The idea of adding James to a championship roster sounds intriguing, as he has one of, if not the best, resumes in league history. James has made it to the Finals 10 times, winning four of them, along with four Finals MVPs and four regular season MVPs.
However, the Knicks are in a situation where gutting the roster for a player who is nearing the end of his career is not necessary. For starters, the team as currently constructed is good enough to win a title next season, as they have star power and depth to absorb any injuries or players struggling.
Secondly, by keeping their main core intact, they have a window of a few seasons to go and try to win a title. It is still unknown exactly how many years James has left before he finally ends his illustrious 23-year career, so New York is better off not taking the bait.
New York has a good enough team right now to win a title, and throwing it away to bring in James is a move that they should not consider.