Getty Head coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks reacts during the first quarter of the game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
If we’ve learned anything from their current four-game losing streak it’s that the New York Knicks don’t have that go-to trusty star to help carry them when the going gets tough.
Most recently we saw both the Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks take advantage of the Knickerbocker’s lacking options in this department with their own collection of top-billed talents, as both Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic were found leading the charge late in their respective matchups against Tom Thibodeau’s squad, and, ultimately, guided their clubs to hard-fought wins.
In the modern-day NBA, star power is the most coveted aspect for any team looking to contend and, at the moment, New York is seen without any such assets.
However, one NBA reporter believes that the ball club could be in the running to land a specific top-flight baller, as CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn believes that the “Chosen One” himself, LeBron James, could be interested in making a move to the Knicks at some point down the line.
Since LeBron trades are a topic tonight, here’s my two cents:
I think there are six non-Lakers teams he would be open to playing for: the Cavs, Heat, Warriors, Clippers, Knicks and Nets.
I don’t have trades but I think it would have to be one of those six teams.
James has garnered an obscene amount of attention as of late with his comments stating that he doesn’t wish to spend the twilight years of his career playing in a losing environment, and, considering the Los Angeles Lakers are coming off of a playoff-less 2021-22 campaign and find themselves sporting a sub-.500 record of 14-21 this year, they have sparked trade rumors surrounding the All-Time legend.
Such is the case with virtually any highly profitable star rumored to be unhappy with their current situation, the Knicks once again find themselves tabbed as a possible landing spot for the four-time MVP and NBA Champion should he look to move on from Los Angeles.
James Could Still Help Lead Knicks
Despite the Lakers’ miserable production throughout the last year and change, and the fact that he’s now in his 20th season in the association, LeBron James has still proven to be able to produce like a franchise cornerstone at the ripe old age of 38.
Since the beginning of last season, the 18-time NBA All-Star and All-NBA selection has found himself sporting tremendous per-game averages of 29.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.2 steals, and just shy of a block per game on 51.6% shooting from the floor.
Even at this stage of his career, it’s clear that a player like LeBron James could help elevate the level of play for any number of teams across the association, and the Knicks are certainly one of them.
As we’ve seen throughout the course of the season and, more specifically, over their last three games New York has struggled to buy a bucket down the stretch, and is currently the second-worst scoring team in the fourth quarter.
Conveniently, James finds himself putting forth the third-most points on a per-game basis and is tied for the second-most points in total during the final period.
Of course, this is by no means the only way the future first-ballot Hall of Famer would be able to help this Knicks team, as he’s a proven multi-faceted talent (career averages of 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists) and all-out winner who, if added to this seventh-seeded roster consisting of Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson, and RJ Barrett, could easily help inch them closer to bringing home the franchise’s third Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Now, is the idea of New York adding LeBron James a far-fetched and overall otherworldly concept? You betcha!
Nonetheless, there’s no harm in simply pondering on the “what ifs” of such a hypothetical scenario that Quinn has brought into the spotlight.
Knicks Could Have Their Own All-Star
The New York Knicks may not need to strike a mid-season trade to acquire a current NBA All-Star in 2022-23, as there’s a strong possibility they could find one of their own current ballers being selected for February’s illustrious exhibition.
In a December 26 piece published by Bleacher Report, writer Grant Hughes went about and predicted who could wind up being selected for the upcoming All-Star game this season and among those mentioned as an Eastern Conference “wild card reserve” was Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson.
“Other than Donovan Mitchell, you’d be hard pressed to come up with a player delivering more to his new team than Jalen Brunson with the New York Knicks…Brunson is salvaging desperate situations by posting a 64.6 effective field-goal percentage on attempts NBA.com designates as ‘late’ in the shot clock.
That’s by far the most accurate rate of anyone on the Knicks with at least 15 attempts and the fourth-highest figure in the league among players who’ve taken at least 40 such shots. In addition, New York’s turnover percentage plummets with Brunson in the game, and its offensive rating climbs by over six points per 100 possessions.
Whether hitting bailout floaters to salvage go-nowhere possessions or imparting a sense of offensive order that had been missing for several seasons, Brunson has been exactly what the doctor ordered for the Knicks.”
JALEN BRUNSON MAKING BIG PLAYS 🔥
BIG THREE
STEAL AND BUCKET
Currently in his first season with the Knicks after signing a four-year, $104 million deal with the franchise this past offseason, Brunson finds himself amid a career campaign, posting impressive per-game averages of 20.2 points, 6.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals on 46.0% shooting from the floor and 36.6% shooting from distance.