Could LeBron James be headed to the Knicks? Latest trade speculation heats up after Stephen A. Smith's comments

LeBron James trade rumors are swirling, and Stephen A. Smith is loving it. He went on his show “First Take” to throw out the potential trade of the LA Lakers star to his beloved New York Knicks. The boisterous TV host went on a trademark rant trying to convince the NBA legend to don a Knicks jersey. He laid out the reasons James should switch coasts.

Smith of course was clear in his bias. The potential deal would not be easy to pull off, but that did not stop him from trying.

“If LeBron James wants to put himself in position to win a championship, get traded to the New York Knicks. Center stage, Madison Square Garden, the Mecca!” Smith said. “You see that defense, you see Tom Thibodeau coaching this defense, you see that brother Jalen Brunson and what he does?”

Smith was not done there. He also tried to layout business opportunities for the billionaire James. He also could not stop talking about the Knicks number one rated defense since the OG Anunoby trade.

“That dude Dolan, no matter how bad he can be in other areas, he knows how to make you money,” Smith said. “LeBron in New York with this team and this defense? Come on.”

Now, James is unlikely to leave LA. He just bought a $36 million compound in Beverly Hills, and his son plays basketball across town at USC.

LeBron James’ agent and best friend Rich Paul also shut down the trade rumors. He said there is no way James gets moved and the star is not asking to leave the Lakers despite their recent struggles.

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How could the New York Knicks trade for LeBron James?

LeBron James does not have a no trade clause, so technically the Lakers could move him without his approval. However, it seems unlike the legendary vet would get moved anywhere without having a say in the matter. So the first key would be James desiring a move to Manhattan.

If that were to actually happen, the Knicks would need to give up a treasure trove. They would also need to match James’ massive $47 million salary for this season. Not to mention, they would also need to be okay with paying a 40-year-old James $50 million next season.

Now if all of those things happen, the Knicks would need to create an attractive package for LA. That would include a ton of draft picks and some players to match the salary. Stephen A. Smith feels the front office has everything they need to pull off this mega-deal.

“The New York Knicks have about 11 picks over the next five or six years. If you are the Lakers, you need picks. You need picks and personnel. And who is the team that can give you that? It’s the New York Knicks,” Smith said.

The Knicks own four first-round pick in the 2024 draft. They also have two in 2025, and their own first round pick in 2026, 2027 and 2028.

New York would likely have to give up at least two or three of those selections. Then they'd need to throw in players like Mitchell Robinson and Donte DiVincenzo as solid role players going back to LA. Add in Evan Fournier and Precious Achiuwa to match the salaries, and maybe the Lakers would bite and move LeBron James.