The chance to end the Philadelphia 76ers’ 43-year title drought apparently factored into LeBron James choosing them as his next destination.
If you needed any more proof that he was eyeing the New York Knicks as his preferred destination before they put a stop to their own championship dry spell, well, here it is.
Dave McMenamin of ESPN just published an extensively reported piece that went behind the scenes of LeBron’s latest free-agency decision. A source told him that part of what was so “compelling about the Sixers was how passionate the fanbase is and how long it's been since they've won a championship.”
You know what’s even more compelling than that? The chance to terminate a 54-year stretch of ring-less basketball.
That is the opportunity the Knicks would have offered if they didn’t beat the San Antonio Spurs. But they did. And LeBron, it seems, is a Sixer because of it.
Rich Paul was telling the truth about LeBron’s interest in the Knicks
Rich Paul, LeBron’s agent, made plenty of comments about the four-time MVP’s free-agency process this offseason. Among his many, many sentiments: “If the Knicks hadn’t have won, this wouldn’t—there would be no board,” he told Max Kellerman on the Game Over podcast, while going through a cornucopia of potential LeBron landing spots.
It’s not that Paul’s comments were unbelievable at the time. He even went on to outline how LeBron would still consider the Knicks post-title if Jalen Brunson laid out the red carpet.
Mostly, the anecdote was easy to dismiss given how many times James has flirted with New York before, only to head elsewhere. But choosing the Sixers lends merit to the idea he wanted his next stop to feature the challenge of ending an extended championship layoff.
Granted, the Knicks can never know for sure. They won the title, rendering this entire premise moot. And they have no regrets.
We all would have talked ourselves into LeBron on the Knicks if it happened. But he comes with baggage even when he’s on a minimum deal. New York avoided that.
Yet, between his rationale for signing in Philly and the news that he’s still making the Big Apple his new home, we don’t actually have to wonder. For the first time ever, it’s clear the Knicks were his first choice all along.
The thing is, also for the first time ever, they didn’t—they don’t–need him.
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