LeBron James Free Agency: Knicks to pursue LeBron James in the offseason
What's the story?
New York Knicks reportedly are interested in pursuing the Cleveland superstar LeBron James as he becomes a free agent in the coming offseason.
In case you didn't know...
Fizdale served as an assistant coach with the Miami Heat from 2008-16, which included the four years (2010-14) James spent in South Beach. Together they went to 4 straight NBA Finals and won 2 of them.
The heart of the matter
The New York Knicks hired David Fizdale as their head coach on a four-year deal after the Grizzlies fired him mid-way through the season. They now look to re-shape their roster, which possibly includes recruiting the 4 time MVP, LeBron James, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Fizdale led the Memphis Grizzlies to a 43-39 record which gave them a place in 2016-17 Playoffs. However, due to a 7-12 start to the 2017-2018 season, he was fired (reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski) after just one-plus seasons with the team. LeBron showed his discontent with the decision:
The hiring of David Fizdale could well be a move by the Knicks to lure the 'King' to the Big Apple knowing LeBron's reverence for his former Heat star. Los Angeles, Houston, and Philadelphia are the cities that have been linked with the 3 time champion regarding his free agency in the past 3 months. That doesn't rule out the Knicks, especially after LeBron self-proclaimed himself as the "King of New York".
The Knicks would have to clear out cap space in order to land James. Since James doesn't discuss his impending free agency publicly, it is hard to determine whether or not the Knicks have a realistic chance of landing him.
What's next?
It would be interesting to see what the Knicks have to offer for LeBron, with most teams going after him, as he would certainly be the biggest price this coming offseason.
Author's take
If the Knicks have a legitimate chance to land one of the greatest players in NBA history, clearing salary is a no-brainer. The Knicks certainly didn't hurt their chances by hiring David Fizdale.
Also read: 5 possible destinations for LeBron James