Before the Summer of 2010, the New York Knicks (and numerous other teams) maneuvered around the salary cap in hopes of signing then-unrestricted free agent LeBron James to a long-term deal. James ultimately signed with the Miami Heat, leaving the remaining clubs to reconstruct their respective rosters on the fly. Now, given the recent announcement made by his son, Bronny James, regarding his intention to enter the 2024 NBA Draft, we may see a repeat of James' free agent frenzy — 14 years later. But New York should avoid the process altogether this time around.
Teams may explore drafting Bronny as a means of adding LeBron James
How does the USC freshmen entering the draft translate into the Knicks (and other teams) potentially teaming up with (LeBron) James? Because the NBA's all-time leading scorer has indicated — on a few occasions — that he would like to end his career playing alongside his son.
“I need to be on the floor with my boy, I got to be on the floor with Bronny,” James told ESPN in 2023. “Either in the same uniform or a matchup against him… But I would love to do the whole Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. thing. That would be ideal for sure.”
The 39-year-old James added a player option to his most recent deal that can be exercised after this season. It is widely assumed that the option was added in hopes of potentially teaming up with his son.
To put this into context, (Bronny) James’ talent does not dictate a first-round pick (and probably not even a second-round pick). The younger James averaged only 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds through 25 games as a freshman with USC after missing the first eight games of the season due to a heart issue that led to cardiac arrest.
Despite his need for additional development, the idea of a team drafting (Bronny) James with the intention of signing his father is not that far-fetched — and it's not a bad idea for good teams in need of additional playmaking (like maybe the Philadelphia 76ers or the Phoenix Suns). But that's not the Knicks. In fact, adding the elder James would probably hurt New York more than it would help. Why? Let's explore.
James in New York would result in too much pressure and coverage
Regardless of what you think about (Bronny) James, adding the NBA's all-time leading scorer would greatly alter the Knicks’ culture. Currently, New York is built around its Villanova roots. Jalen Brunson and his relaxed nature set the tone, and Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart validate it.
What's more, the entire team, including coach Tom Thibodeau, has established a rapport with one another. Adding the NBA’s pre-eminent superstar would almost certainly complicate that rapport. It would add tremendous pressure and more media coverage to a team whose players aren't entirely prepared for it.
Further, adding James would reshape the team's leadership structure, with James chiming in on (and possibly making) major decisions. And that hasn't always played out for the best. For example, the Los Angeles Lakers gave up significant assets to add Russell Westbrook in a trade with the Washington Wizards prior to the 2021-22 season, a deal for which James allegedly pushed. And we all know how that ended.
LeBron James would disrupt the Knicks' style of play
But more importantly, there are also on-the-floor implications to consider. And we know that tinkering with style, pace, and personalities is a major faux pas in the NBA. Most pressingly, (LeBron) James is a high-usage player. In fact, he's only accounted for less than 30% of his team's usage (when he's on the floor) twice in his career, his rookie and sophomore campaigns. It looks as if he will do so again this season, but he's still posting the 19th-highest usage rate (29.2%) despite being the oldest player in the league. And considering the consistency of his usage rate across his 21 NBA seasons, it’s fair to assume he’d play similarly on the Knicks.
To put James' usage into context, only two Knicks have higher usage rates this season — Brunson (32.3) and Julius Randle (30.0). So, James would instantly have the third-highest usage rate on the Knicks. Where are those touches and scoring opportunities coming from? It would likely be a collective effort. But in sacrificing opportunities, guys like DiVincnezo, Hart, and McBride would be far less effective. Look at how well McBride has played since receiving a bigger opportunity. DiVincenzo and Hart, too. Those gains would likely suffer.
More importantly, look at how Brunson’s game blossomed after leaving the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Doncic — someone who plays similarly to James. Granted, at 39 years old, James wouldn’t dictate the ball as much as Doncic does now. But to be effective, he still needs it. And that would probably adversely affect Brunson as much as anyone.
At the end of the day, forgoing this plan to add James is not about talent. It's about maneuvering in this way and what it says to the rest of the league (and more importantly, its players) about the team's faith in its ability to build a winner. Of course, adding someone like (LeBron) James makes any team more talented, and spending (presumably) a second-round pick on (Bronny) James to get him is a negligible expense.
But at 39 years old, (LeBron) James' game is his game. And how it fits in alongside each roster varies dramatically from team to team. Meanwhile, the Knicks just completed a culture overhaul that's led to them finally becoming the realistic free-agent destination they should have been all along.
Instead of chasing a gimmicky fix, New York should remain focused on the big picture — building a sustainable championship contender. Adding James (and his son), at this stage of his career, risks everything that's been built. There's too much at stake to start over again, and it has very little to do with the USC guard.
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