With the rumors surrounding LeBron James and his status with the Los Angeles Lakers this upcoming season, some analysts are theorizing about possible teams that could acquire him in a trade. As James is taking a patient approach with his injury for the Lakers, Bobby Marks and Kevin O'Connor discuss the New York Knicks as a potential landing spot.
On O'Connor's self-titled podcast, he would ask Marks, “If LeBron James asks out, his most likely destination is blank,” leading to the salary cap expert differentiating the results between the star being bought out or if it was through a trade. Via a trade, Marks' first team that he mentions is the Knicks, mentioning the contracts they have like Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges.
“If it was a straight trade, you always think New York potentially, they do have the contracts, whether it be the Towns deal, OG, and Bridges, whatever that group, I think would probably lean back towards New York,” Marks said.
O'Connor would agree that New York would be the team to trade for James as it “makes sense” through such aspects as fit on the roster and for the salary.
“Yeah, I think I'd say the Knicks for sure,” O'Connor said. “I mean, I'd say Knicks number one, and then everybody else, if he were to be traded midseason, the Knicks makes sense, for salary purposes, for roster fit purposes, for what they could desire, what they feel like they might need to take a leap.”
If LeBron James asks out, his most likely destination is ________.@BobbyMarks42 and I had the same answer for this fill in the blank. 🗽 https://t.co/x2tcC77YJc pic.twitter.com/98IcmoELiN
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnor) October 16, 2025
LeBron James could be the Knicks' ‘savior”
While other analysts ponder how realistic a Lakers trade involving James would be, the Knicks do make a lot of sense to O'Connor, going from one huge franchise to the other. Besides the fit and salary, O'Connor would bring up the attention that it would bring, saying that James could be a “savior” for the team if he brought them to the NBA Finals.
“So I'd say the Knicks also for LeBron,” O'Connor said. “I mean, it's Madison Square Garden. He's always calling it his favorite arena; he could be a quote-unquote savior, you know, if he does help take them to a championship for the first time in decades. So there's that with him as well. Can you imagine that, LeBron James traded midseason to the New York Knicks? If Shams drops that bomb, it might exceed the Luka trade last year.”
At any rate, it remains to be seen if James will be traded this season as Los Angeles opens the regular season on Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.
