NBA analyst thinks Knicks may draft Bronny James to land LeBron
NBA analyst thinks Knicks may draft Bronny James to land LeBron
The New York Knicks were busy on draft night again, trading one of their two first-round picks in two separate deals that netted them five future second-round picks.
As part of their maneuvering, they also acquired a second second-round pick in this draft, No. 51.
That could just be an attempt to fill out the roster with younger, cheaper depth — the Knicks' trades on Wednesday appeared to be cost-cutting moves that may help them re-sign Isaiah Hartenstein.
But NBA analyst Tom Haberstroh thinks the Knicks may have something bigger up their sleeves. In Royce Webb's 5x5 Substack, Haberstroh wondered if the Knicks are attempting to lure the James family to New York.
"I'm not saying the New York Knicks are going to take Bronny James at No. 51. But if I'm being honest, that's the first thing I thought of when the Knicks traded back and quietly acquired the Wizards' 51st pick, four spots ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers' slot at No. 55.
"Put it this way: if the Knicks take Bronny, I think there's a high likelihood that LeBron decides to take his talents to MSG. I don't see the King passing up the chance to play with his son, especially if it's in New York. Now, will the Knicks comply?"
Haberstroh is just projecting, of course, but it raises one big question: how would the Knicks get James to New York?
James can become a free agent this summer and is still expected to command a max contract. The Knicks don't have cap space and would have a lot of work to do to trade out contracts to get cap space. Would James really sign for one of the two mid-level exceptions just to join New York and play with his son? History says no.
That leaves the possibility of a sign-and-trade, or just a straight-up trade if James opted into his contract. Given the new NBA CBA's restrictive nature when it comes to trades, and the Knicks' already complicated cap situation following the Mikal Bridges trade, it's hard to imagine the two teams being able to get something done.
It's also unclear if the Knicks would have any interest in adding Bronny James, who is not considered a high-ceiling player or a player who could help a team right away.
Still, Haberstroh's projection is a fun one. James has often teased the idea of playing in New York. And this past season, the Knicks and Klutch Sports, the agency that represents James and is run by James' close friend Rich Paul, reportedly smoothed over a once-tense relationship. Of course, Klutch represents dozens of players, so it behooves the Knicks to improve their relations with a major agency. Nonetheless, it leaves some breadcrumbs for Haberstroh's theory.
The second round of the NBA Draft begins at 4 p.m. ET.