NBA Insider ‘Will Never Rule Out The Possibility’ Of LeBron James Playing For Knicks

NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line “will never rule out the possibility” of LeBron James playing for the New York Knicks. 

James loves Madison Square Garden and Knicks president Leon Rose used to be his agent before Rich Paul took over. 

“I believe that LeBron James’ well-chronicled fondness for playing at Madison Square Garden makes it unwise to say he’ll never be a Knick,” Stein wrote. “I believe that it is far more difficult to gauge the Knicks’ willingness to bring him in, given all the history between Team LeBron and the Knicks’ hierarchy that features former James (and Paul) associates Leon Rose and William Wesley, but I’m just saying: I will never rule out the possibility of No. 23 becoming a Knick someday. Because he is said to love The Garden that much.”

LeBron met with the Knicks in 2010 when he was an unrestricted free agent. He wound up signing with the Miami Heat. 

New Knicks head coach Mike Brown coached LeBron on the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron won’t play for New York next season, but he could be interested in signing with the Knickerbockers in the offseason of 2026 when he becomes a free agent for the first time since 2018.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ preferred scenario is for LeBron’s contract to drop off their books after next season, according to Stein. LeBron will make $52.6 million next season in the final year of his contract. 

The leading scorer in NBA history, LeBron turns 41 in December. He averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists for the Lakers last season while shooting 51.3% from the field, 37.6% from beyond the arc and 78.2% from the free-throw line. 

The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games, while the Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals in six games. 

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