Knicks Rumors: New York would be wise to pursue LeBron James

The New York Knicks may not have a shot at signing LeBron James, but using David Fizdale’s influence to get him in the room would be massive.

The likelihood of LeBron James donning the orange and blue may be lower than the odds of the New York Knicks winning a championship in 2019. That may sound harsh, but the Knicks have an injured franchise player and limited cap space.

As the Knicks prepare for a period of free agency that will commence in less than two months, however, signing James has become a rumored goal.

James will become an unrestricted free agent this July, and his list of suitors will include every team in the NBA. A vast majority of franchises have minimal cap space, but general managers would have the green light to get creative for the four-time MVP.

For the Knicks, however, making a push to sign James would go a long way towards repairing their reputation—even if he doesn’t put his name on the dotted line.

Regardless of how you may feel about Phil Jackson‘s tenure as team president, his inability to secure meetings with prominent free agents was a blemish. Yes, Jackson preferred to build through the NBA Draft, and overpaid veterans who could help establish a new culture.

In a star-driven league, however, failing to at least sit down with high-profile free agents was a flaw that spoke volumes to players around the NBA.

One could argue that it began in 2015, when Jackson declined the opportunity to meet with LaMarcus Aldridge due to his unwillingness to play center. I’m of the belief that it was the right decision, as Kristaps Porzingis had already been drafted as a 4 and was too thin to play the 5.

In saying that, failing to meet with Aldridge created something of a stigma—and the incessant drama with Carmelo Anthony became the nail in the coffin.

Even before Jackson arrived, however, the Knicks had been an all but entirely undesirable free agent destination. It wasn’t until Amar’e Stoudemire signed an uninsured contract that the floodgates opened to New York.

Stoudemire’s injuries may have left a sour taste in fans’ mouths, but his arrival made the Knicks relevant again with an All-NBA player on the roster.

Since hiring Scott Perry as the new general manager, the Knicks have made a concerted effort to repair that fractured reputation. Significant cap space won’t be available until 2019, but the organization isn’t waiting for next summer to fix the previous flaws.

That all begins with building upon Jackson’s prioritization of the NBA Draft, and removing toxic personalities from the franchise at every level.

In order to return to prominence, however, the Knicks must do more than just draft well. Hiring David Fizdale was an excellent start, as he can help turn those prospects into quality players with his attention to detail and vast NBA experience.

Even if the Knicks are planning to build through the NBA Draft, however, free agency must at least be a possible avenue to success—and James can make that happen.

By simply securing a meeting with James, New York would be making significant progress. Even if he doesn’t sign, the opportunity to sell an MVP on the direction of the franchise would send a message to other players that these aren’t the same old Knicks.

While Jackson may not have been able to get James on the phone, let alone in the room, Fizdale gives the Knicks a fighting chance.

Fizdale and James have a friendship that dates back to their time together with the Miami Heat. Fizdale was one of Erik Spoelstra’s most trusted assistant coaches during James’ decorated four-year run in Miami.

The proof of the power of James’ friendship with Fizdale: The fact that the three-time NBA champion jumped to Fizdale’s defense when Memphis fired him in 2017.

Again: It’s highly unlikely that securing a meeting with James will lead to the Knicks signing the first ballot Hall of Famer to even a one-year deal.

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If the New York Knicks can simply get LeBron James in the room, however, the mission of improving the franchise’s reputation would take a massive leap towards completion.