The New York Knicks were seen as a top destination for LeBron James when his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers was coming to an end in 2018, though the future Hall of Famer ultimately decided to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Now, seven years later, the Knicks could get another shot at him.
James decided to opt in for the final years of his contract with the Lakers, but The Athletic's Sam Amick reported that some NBA executives believe he could instead be seeking a trade.
"The speculation was rampant all around the league when news of James’ decision broke, with rival executives wondering if this was a precursor to a trade request (James, remember, has a no-trade clause and could thus control any such move)," Amick wrote.
Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz identified the potential landing spots for James if he does hit the trade block, putting the Knicks at the top of the list.
"The Knicks were just two games away from reaching the NBA Finals this past season, have enough trade chips to send to the Los Angeles Lakers while keeping most of their core in place and, last we checked, still play in the Eastern Conference," Swartz wrote. "James has gone on record saying that he's considered playing for the Knicks as a free agent earlier in his career."
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23)
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23)
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Swartz suggested the Knicks might be able to land James with "a trade package of OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and some small salary filler." That would also give the Lakers some important pieces to build around Luka Doncic and James the chance to end his career playing in Madison Square Garden.