While the image of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade putting a close to their on-court battle is truly one for the ages, something slipped out of LeBron James' usually-careful mouth — these words probably put plenty of New York Knicks fans in quite a shock.
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade capped off a 31-game career head-to-head Monday night. The Los Angeles Lakers' 108-105 victory over the Miami Heat gave James the tie-breaker in their storied matchup.
After the game, James and Wade had their moment where the two future Hall of Famers did the expected jersey swap — a gesture that has randomly developed recently in Wade's retirement tour.
D-Wade thanks Bron for letting them have their final showdown at Staples: "It was either here or The Garden. That's it." pic.twitter.com/uz8Moft78D
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 11, 2018
As it turns out, LeBron James' comment appears to suggest that the Knicks were a strong contender for his services back in free agency.
In trying to piece the puzzle, one should consider that James' move to Los Angeles wasn't purely a basketball move. He's building an empire with all his business dealings while putting his family in the best place possible to live.
New York is just as big a market as LeBron James' current abode, making it an ideal place for him to put forth his off-the-court business.
However, the Knicks' potential looked bleak compared to the Lakers that had Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, and Josh Hart. A unicorn won't be enough in enticing James to take a bite out of the apple.
But one glaring difference between the two franchises lies at the top. The Knicks have been dealing with the reputation of being a dysfunctional franchise, no thanks to team owner James Dolan. Meanwhile, the Lakers appear to have a clearer direction with Jeannie Buss at the helm along with the guidance of Magic Johnson — someone LeBron James gravitated to a lot.
No one can tell at this point what James really meant with his statement. It's all water under the bridge now as he's signed up for four years in Tinseltown.
Who knows, as a wildcard scenario, maybe he was referring to TD Garden and teaming up once more with Kyrie Irving. Then again, it's time to pull ourselves together.
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