Getty Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks in action against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during their game at Madison Square Garden.
The New York Knicks have been saving up their draft capital for a superstar to pair with their rising star Jalen Brunson.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes has one blockbuster trade proposal that will land the Knicks the biggest superstar of them all — LeBron James.
Hughes’ proposed trade:
New York Knicks receive: LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers receive: Julius Randle, Evan Fournier, 2024 first-round pick (via DAL), 2024 first-round pick (via DET), 2024 first-round pick (via WAS), 2025 first-round pick (via MIL), 2025 first-round pick (NYK)
But before Knicks fans would raise hell, Hughes explained that while the package appeared to have fleeced their team at first glance, a deeper look would make them realize that they still have enough left for another star trade in the post-LeBron era.
“The Lakers can say they got five firsts, Fournier’s expiring contract and Randle (whom they could re-route to a third team or keep), but the only truly choice pick is the unprotected 2025 selection coming directly from the Knicks.
That might be the best L.A. can hope for, particularly if we assume James gets to dictate where he’s going, which would prevent other teams from beating the Knicks’ offer.
James gets a better title shot, the Lakers bring in assets for a player they might lose this summer and the Knicks still somehow keep a lot of powder dry for another trade down the line,” Hughes wrote.
LeBron James Effusive in His Praise of Jalen Brunson
Before James beat the Knicks, he was effusive in his praise of Brunson for his well-deserved first All-Star berth.
“Jalen’s phenomenal,” James told reporters when asked about Brunson. “He’s phenomenal. Super happy for him, super proud of him. First-time All-Star. Seen his emotion after the last game I think that’s just super cool. Super dope, very humble kid,” James said. “I played against Rick [Brunson] as well. So kind of weird in that sense.”
Brunson made as an All-Star reserve after narrowly losing to Milwaukee Bucks’ Damian Lillard for a starting spot at the Eastern Conference team’s backcourt.
Brunson and Lillard ended up tied with a 3.75 weighted score behind unanimous choice as the East’s top guard, Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers.
But the Bucks star edged out Brunson in fan votes, 2,236,969 to 1,452,519.
The coaches made sure Brunson would not be denied.
James outdueled Brunson down the stretch of their marquee matchup on Saturday, February 3, at Madison Square Garden.
The 39-year-old James scored the game-sealing basket — a fadeaway jumper that capped an 11-0 Lakers run in the fourth quarter to run away with a 113-105 win.
James dropped 24 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists to pace the Lakers and improve his Garden record to 23-9.
The Knicks All-Star guard finished with 36 points and 10 assists but faded down the stretch after the Lakers wore him down, sending double-team defense in 20 plays, per the ABC telecast.
Insider Says LeBron James Is Using the Knicks as Leverage
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who has covered James since his high school in Akron, Ohio, the Lakers superstar is just using the Knicks as leverage.
James trolled the Knicks fans by posting an emoji of the Statue of Liberty and a King crown on X, formerly Twitter, to a pregame interview saying playing for Knicks crossed his mind in 2010, and finally doing his postgame interview draped in a Knicks towel.
LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul came out in the open, telling Windhorst that the Los Angeles Lakers superstar won’t and didn’t ask to be traded.
But it still didn’t stop the fans from speculating about James’ future especially after he kept mum about his plans on his $51.4 million player option for next season.