The Knicks are seen as the most likely destination for LeBron James if they are asked to trade the Lakers

With LeBron James rumors and his status with 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 because of the injury for the Lakers, Bobby Marks and Kevin O’Connor talk about New York Knicks as a potential landing site.

On O’Connor’s podcast of the same name, he would ask Marks, “If LeBron James requests, his most likely destination is empty,” which would lead the salary cap expert to distinguish the results between a star being bought out or traded. Through trade, Marx’ the first team he mentions is the Knicks, mentioning the contracts they have with the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges.

“If it was a straight trade, you always think New York potentially, they have contracts, whether it’s the Towns deal, OG and Bridges, whatever that group is, I think it would probably lean toward New York,” Marks said.

O’Connor would agree that New York will be the team to trade James because it “makes sense” through such aspects as roster fit and salary.

“Yeah, I think I’d say Nixie for sure,” O’Connor said. “I mean, I’d say the Knicks are number one, and then everybody else, if they were to trade him in the middle of the season, the Knicks make sense, for salary purposes, for roster fit, for what they might want, what they think they might be able to step up to.”

If LeBron James requests, his most likely destination is ________.@BobbiMarks42 and I had the same answer for this fill in the blank. 🗽 https://t.co/k2tcC77IJc pic.twitter.com/98IcmoELiN

— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnor) October 16, 2025

LeBron James could be the “savior of the Knicks”

While other analysts are thinking how a Lakers trade involving James would be realisticThe Knicks make a lot of sense for O’Connor, going from one major franchise to another. Beyond fitness and salary, O’Connor pointed to what that would bring, saying James could be a “savior” for the team if he leads them to the NBA Finals.

“I would say the same about the Knicks for LeBron,” O’Connor said. “I mean, it’s Madison Square Garden. He always calls it his favorite arena; he could be a quote-unquote savior, you know, if he helps lead them to a championship for the first time in decades. So that’s on him, too. Can you imagine LeBron James making a midseason trade to the New York Knicks if Shams dropped a bomb in New York last year?

Either way, 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.