The New York Knicks came two victories shy of an NBA Finals appearance, but their shortcomings led to the organization firing coach Tom Thibodeau.
New York’s decision to cut ties with Thibodeau signaled a level of confidence to the rest of the league in their current core of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby. After failing to reach the biggest stage yet again, someone needed to take the fall.
Instead of trading away Bridges, Anunoby, or Towns, the Knicks front office believed ridding the roster of Thibodeau was the key to getting over the hump, and the team recently hired Mike Brown as their new head coach. However, if the right opportunity presenting itself could encourage New York to also shake up their roster’s core this summer.
Knicks Predicted To Move On From OG Anunoby in Trade for LeBron James
Unless Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the table, the Knicks need to keep Brunson and Towns out of negotiations. The same cannot be said for either of their star forwards, Anunoby and Bridges.
It’s more likely that Anunoby gets traded given his lucrative five-year, $212 million contract and the sheer number of assets sent to the Brooklyn Nets for Bridges. On top of that, the former Toronto Raptor and NBA champion failed to excel in the 2025 playoffs, averaging 16.3 points on 41.7% shooting.
Free agent F OG Anunoby intends to sign a five-year, $212.5 million contract to return to the New York Knicks, sources tell ESPN. Deal will include a player option and a trade kicker. pic.twitter.com/q5VcjOeryW
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 26, 2024
If Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James becomes available, the Knicks could jump at the opportunity to upgrade their roster in the short term. Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz predicts the Lakers could send James to New York for Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson, and salary filler.
“Of all the potential trade destinations for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, the New York Knicks make the most sense,” Swartz wrote. “The Knicks were just two games away from reaching the NBA Finals this past season, have enough trade chips to send to the Los Angeles Lakers while keeping most of their core in place and, last we checked, still play in the Eastern Conference.
“James has gone on record saying that he’s considered playing for the Knicks as a free agent earlier in his career. If James wants to play in his self proclaimed favorite playground, this may be his last chance. A trade package of OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and some small salary filler would be enough to match James’ $52.6 million.
“A starting five of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, James and Karl-Anthony Towns would be one of the NBA’s best, especially offensively. With so many stars sidelined next season in the East, the Knicks’ only real competition may come from the Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s a far cry from the West where every single team (save for the Utah Jazz) should have playoff aspirations.”
Unless the Knicks are set on retaining their entire core, this trade makes sense for all parties involved.
The Lakers appear focused on building around Luka Dončić, so this return makes a lot of sense with that strategy. Anunoby is a 27-year-old star who has three guaranteed seasons under contract, while Robinson can fill their glaring void at the center position. The former can impact the game at a high level on both sides of the ball, recording 18 points and 1.5 steals per game in the 2025 season.
Alternatively, the Knicks are desperate for their first title since 1973, and what better way to chase a championship than bringing in arguably the greatest player of all time? Although he may play just one more season, James is a significant upgrade over Anunoby.
Considering how weak the Eastern Conference looks, it’s hard to imagine a core of James, Brunson, and Towns not making a real run at a title.
