NBA Rumors: Is There Any Chance That LeBron James Will Sign With the New York Knicks This Summer?
LeBron James will be the top free agent market on the market this summer, and he will be the number one target for many teams that may either be looking to get better in a hurry or are trying to get over the hump and finally win the NBA title.
Among the teams looking to get better quickly that may be interested in adding James could be the New York Knicks.
Back when James entered unrestricted free agency for the first time in 2010, the Knicks were among the teams that were reportedly interested in signing him, though they were obviously unable to pull that feat off back then.
So, are their chances better eight years later?
Well, at the very least, the Knicks may not be ruling out the possibility that they could sign James, according to the latest rumors.
An NBA source spoken to recently by The New York Post's Marc Berman said the Knicks will be ready to do what is needed to open up cap space this offseason if they start to get the feeling that James may be interested in joining them.
Now, to be clear, even the report notes that James showing interest in joining the Knicks this offseason is an "unlikely event," but that's still better than the team having no chance at all.
For those wondering why rumblings of James joining the Knicks are starting to emerge again, that probably has something to do with who the franchise decided to hire as their head coach recently.
James is known to be a supporter of newly named Knicks head coach David Fizdale, and they were both members of the Miami Heat teams that made four Finals appearances and won two NBA titles from 2011 to 2014.
Beyond that, the Knicks also have young players who could grow to become better pros under the tutelage of James.
Kristaps Porzingis may already be an All-Star, but his game could go up another level if he plays alongside James. Meanwhile, young guards Tim Hardaway Jr. and Frank Ntilikina could learn more about running NBA offenses efficiently if they get the chance to study what James does on the floor.
Per Tankathon.com, the Knicks are also currently in line to end up with the ninth pick in the draft, and they could use that to add other talented youngsters to their core.
The Knicks are certainly trending up at the moment, and in a few years time, they could be ready to make some real noise in the Eastern Conference.
That may be the issue though, as James may not be willing to wait a few more years to contend again.
James is focused only on winning more championships at this stage of his career, and he may be in a better position to accomplish that goal on a veteran team.
The Knicks are going to have a shot at recruiting James this summer, but in all likelihood, they will come up short in that particular pursuit yet again.
More news about the latest NBA rumors should be made available soon.