A sports columnist/podcaster floated the possibility that Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James might join the New York Knicks in 2018. In a discussion with Dan Patrick of NBC Sports, Bill Simmons of The Ringer.com said it would be impressive if James will play for his third franchise, presumably the Knicks, and lead them to an NBA title, per Matt Burke of Metro.us. It was Simmons who first broke the news that James might leave Cleveland for the second time and join the Los Angeles Lakers after this season. Simmons said that James looks like he is headed for the Lakers, with his kids already studying there, but the Knicks could be the best move for him, joining forces with Kristaps Porzingis in the Big Apple.
“But imagine if he went to the Knicks with Porzingis, and they added a couple other pieces and he won the title with the Knicks,” said Simmons, adding that it would be a great career achievement for James to lead the Knicks to a title. However, Simmons said it will be a longshot for the Knicks to get James, given their salary cap and front office situation.
Lakers also a possibility for James
Earlier, Simmons said James is set on joining the Lakers next season, joining forces with young stars like Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram. James could also lure one superstar to join him in Hollywood, possibly Paul George of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Before he was traded by the Indiana Pacers to the Thunder, George expressed interest in playing for the Lakers.
The NBA even fined the Lakers $500,000 for tampering with George after team president Magic Johnson mentioned him in a television interview. However, the league did not prohibit the Lakers from pursuing George once he becomes available, meaning they can convince him to come to Los Angeles in 2018. With James and George joining forces, the Lakers could regain their lost glory.
Knicks waive forward
According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Ian Begley of ESPN, the Knicks waived forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas to create a roster spot for Joakim Noah, who will return Monday from a 20-game suspension due to a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. Noah served the first eight games of the penalty last season and the remaining 12 this season after it was issued in March.
In a statement, Knicks general manager Scott Perry thanked Kuzminskas for his contribution to the franchise. “The respect this franchise has for Mindaugas cannot be overstated,” Perry said. The 28-year-old Kuzminskas is in the final season of a two-year contract that was fully guaranteed for $3 million this season. Kuzminskas averaged 6.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 68 games, with five starts, last season.
