76ers' LeBron James gives harsh reality on why he didn't join Knicks after having 'visions'

76ers’ LeBron James gives harsh reality on why he didn’t join Knicks after having ‘visions’ originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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There is no doubt that LeBron James was the biggest free agent this summer at the age of 41. It was an interesting free agency, as he really took his time picking his next destination, putting the entire NBA on hold.

After about a month of deliberation, he finally picked his next destination. The four-time NBA champion decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.

“LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers for his final run at another NBA championship, he announced Friday,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote. “James, 41, is signing a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul told ESPN’s Shams Charania.”

Throughout his free agency, James’ agent Rich Paul was very vocal about the options and where his client could end up. Paul mentioned during the summer that James would have gone to the New York Knicks if they hadn’t won the championship.

“If the Knicks hadn’t won, there would be no board. He’d be going to the Knicks…. Jalen Brunson would literally have to pick up the phone and say ‘hey man, there’s no issue with me.’ They (Knicks) have checked in,” Paul said.

That was something interesting from Paul, as he made it sound like there would have been no other choice. At media day on Monday, James gave the harsh reality of how he would have been perceived if he had gone there following their championship run.

“I had visions of definitely playing in the Garden, finishing my career in the Garden. One of the best places I’ve ever played. I think it’s the No. 1 arena in the world, as far as for a basketball player. But after they beat San Antonio, I was like I couldn’t do it. Y’all wouldn’t have let me lay that down, at all,” James said.

The way the former MVP put it makes it seem like he was protecting his legacy before he goes out. Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart with James would have been one of the best lineups in the history of the NBA.

The Eastern Conference would have looked completely different had James joined the Knicks. With James’ comments about having visions and now living in New York, he may have had his eyes on them for some time, even outside of this past summer.

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