LeBron says Knicks free agency dream died after their title — SkimNews
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- LeBron James said his free agency decision came down to five teams: the 76ers, Cavaliers, Warriors, Heat, and Timberwolves.
- James had envisioned joining the Knicks and playing at Madison Square Garden but scrapped it once the franchise ended its 53-year title drought by beating San Antonio in June.
- James cited inevitable media backlash as the reason he passed on the Knicks, telling ESPN: 'Y'all wouldn't have let me lay that down, at all.'
- The Knicks swept James's Sixers in the second round in May, winning by an average of 22.3 points per game.
- James will get two regular-season shots at MSG this year — opening night on Oct. 20 and Feb. 27 — with a postseason rematch also possible.
- James told ESPN he will split his residence between New York and Philadelphia: 'Both. Multiple residences.'
- James praised Jalen Brunson as 'unbelievable' while reaffirming he's 'happy where I'm at' with the Sixers.
Why it matters: James revealing a Knicks pipeline that died only because they won a title adds personal stakes to a Sixers-Knicks rivalry already sharpened by New York's second-round sweep in May. With two MSG regular-season dates plus a potential playoff rematch, the subplot now follows James onto the court for what could be the league's most-watched regular-season series.
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