The New York Knicks have been linked to just about every star player that could possibly be available this offseason. From Giannis Antetokounmpo, to Kevin Durant, and most recently, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
The Knicks are coming off of their best season in decades, winning 51 games and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Now, the team is aiming even higher, and has been in the market for a star upgrade so far this offseason.
Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale proposed a mock trade that would land the Knicks LeBron James in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns in a one-for-one swap. Towns is coming off one of the best seasons of his career in his first with the Knicks. He averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game while shooting 42 percent from three-point range. He was also named an All-Star and made the All-NBA Third Team.
“Straight-up swapping Towns for LeBron would make the Knicks a lot older. So be it,” Favale writes. “New York still needs another ball-handler to consistently lighten its dependence on Jalen Brunson. Jordan Clarkson moves the needle only so much.”
James will be entering his NBA-record 23rd season in 2025-26. After opting into his player option, James will be an expiring contract for the first time in his NBA career.
“Give team president Leon Rose truth serum, and he might even tell you he appreciates the flexibility that the expiring contract of a soon-to-be 41-year-old LeBron would give the Knicks over the three seasons and $171.2 million owed to Towns,” Favale added. “New York would have to recalibrate its big-man rotation without KAT, but it’d still have a veteran-minimum slot to dangle after this move. The situation is also hardly dire following the addition of Guerschon Yabusele and if Mitchell Robinson can stay healthy.”
Despite entering his age 41 season, James is still a highly productive player. Just last season, James averaged 24.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game while being named an All-Star for the 21st time, and being named to the All-NBA Second Team.
