Hold up, for real. LeBron James had New York on his mind, with visions of Madison Square Garden for his final years, no joke. But get this, the biggest twist? The Knicks winning their first championship since ’73 without him is exactly what steered him to Philadelphia for his 24th NBA season. That’s right, New York’s title glory turned what could have been an all-time blockbuster into one of the NBA’s wildest “what-ifs.”
Stephen A. Smith Was Ready to Beg, But Brunson Had Other Plans
We all know Stephen A. Smith is a die-hard Knicks fan, and he was absolutely prepared to go all out for LeBron. He said he was ready to make a personal, national TV plea for James if the Knicks had fallen short in the 2026 playoffs. And let’s be real, that’s wild because Smith and James haven’t exactly been chummy lately. Their relationship publicly went south after James confronted Smith during a March 2025 Lakers-Knicks game, all because of Smith’s criticism of Bronny James. Smith even talked about their strained relationship in a 2026 interview with Graham Bensinger. So for Smith to be willing to put all that aside for the Knicks? That tells you everything about his fandom and how badly he wanted James in New York. The only thing that changed his mind was New York actually winning it all. Once they reached their goal, Smith said a dramatic recruiting pitch wasn’t needed.
Madison Square Garden Dreams Vanish with a 4-1 Finals Win
LeBron himself confirmed these “visions” at the 76ers media day to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. He said playing at Madison Square Garden and potentially finishing his career there was on his mind, calling it one of the best places he’d ever played. NBA.com even reported back in June that he was set to leave the Lakers and hit free agency before he ultimately landed in Philly. But here’s the kicker: James explicitly said the idea disappeared once the Knicks hoisted the championship trophy. He couldn’t make that move after they had already won the title. That’s a huge detail, meaning his entire free-agency decision was tied directly to the outcome of the postseason. The Knicks’ victory truly changed the whole dang equation.
New York didn’t need another superstar to end their championship drought. They rolled through the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the Finals, with Jalen Brunson dropping a monster 45 points in Game 5 to earn Finals MVP honors. This wasn’t just any win, either. It capped a postseason where the Knicks repeatedly erased double-digit deficits, including a ridiculous 29-point comeback in Game 4 of the Finals. That championship validated a roster absolutely built around Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart. NBA.com even reported that the Knicks put together a 13-game postseason winning streak and posted the highest playoff point differential in league history. They didn’t just win; they dominated. And in doing so, they inadvertently sent one of the greatest players of all time to a rival instead of bringing him home to the Garden. Talk about a bittersweet victory.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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