With their recent NBA Championship win, the New York Knicks are the kings of the Eastern Conference, and, at this point, it's hard to see them losing their crown during the upcoming 2026-27 campaign.
To Kirk Goldsberry, not even LeBron James reuniting with the Cleveland Cavaliers would be enough to move the needle.
During a recent appearance on The Zach Lowe Show, the veteran NBA analyst discussed the highly buzzed-about rumor that the future Hall of Famer could be Ohio-bound this offseason.
While admitting he has no insider information on the matter, Goldsberry noted that "it's always felt like Cleveland" is the most likely landing spot for James to play out his 24 and, presumably, final season in the association.
However, even though he's still clearly playing at an All-Star level, as he claimed his record 22 nod just last year, Goldsberry still isn't convinced that LeBron being added to the Eastern Conference runner-up's roster makes the Cavs strong enough to topple the Knicks.
"I wouldn't pick them to win the East [if they add LeBron]. I think New York deserves all the respect in the world," Goldsberry said.
Cavs adding LeBron James still may not be enough to dethrone Knicks
During the 2025 conference finals, the Knicks handily breezed past the Cavaliers via a 4-0 series sweep en route to their epic 16-3 championship run.
To Goldsberry, New York's journey suggests that this club finished out the year "really figuring out some stuff," and even sees their title win as being akin to Steve Kerr's first championship with the Warriors that "set up years two and three" for even more conference and league-wide domination.
Though from a basketball standpoint he thinks LeBron's presence would have made Cleveland a "hell of a lot more dangerous" in their round-three bout against New York, at the end of the day, the 41-year-old still may not be enough for them to dethrone the defending champs, as he "would take the Knicks" to rep the East in the 2027 NBA Finals.
Regardless of whether he ultimately decides to sign with Cleveland or not, it seems James' best fits all reside in the Eastern Conference, with both the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers tabbed as legitimate threats to swipe up the superstar forward in free agency.
Fortunately, the odds still seem to have the Knicks as the most likely East club to head back to the title round.
Goldsberry certainly agrees.
Add us as a preferred source on Google