Stephen A. Smith dreaming about the Knicks trading for LeBron James

With LeBron James getting antsy in Los Angeles and the New York Knicks in need of a superstar, Stephen A. Smith cued the rumors.

Smith opened his Friday morning episode of First Take with an over-the-top monologue to highlight his Knicks fandom by praising them for continuing their hot streak amid the absence of Julius Randle and OG Anunoby. And while the Knicks have an All-Star on the floor in Jalen Brunson, Smith knows they need more to be considered championship contenders.

Stephen A. Smith is all-in on recruiting LeBron James to the Knicks. pic.twitter.com/omO2hfyZgk

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 2, 2024

“If LeBron James wants to put himself in position to win a championship, get traded to the New York Knicks,” Smith said bluntly. “Centerstage, Madison Square Garden, the Mecca!” Smith said before going down a litany reasons of why the Knicks are playing so well right now.

The ESPN host in Stephen A. Smith is salivating at the thought of LeBron James on the Knicks. But the Knicks fan in Stephen A. Smith has to know how ridiculous the idea is.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, shame on both of us. What about four times? Because that’s what this would be for LeBron and Knicks fans.

Ignore the fact that Knicks fans assumed David Stern would fix the NBA Draft Lottery for them in 2003 the way conspiracy theorists believe he did with Patrick Ewing in 1985. LeBron teased New York in 2010 and he did it again in 2015 when Smith believed the NBA superstar would “strongly consider” signing with New York. It even happened in 2018, with Vanity Fair’s Lisa Robinson claiming LeBron wanted to sign with the Knicks, but his wife pushed him to Los Angeles.

But Smith is so giddy about the Knicks that he seems hellbent on getting fooled a fourth time with LeBron.

“Yo bro! LBJ, baby, wassup?” Smith said as he continued his recruitment of LeBron. “It’s orange and blue skies, baby! Let me tell you something, I know you’re a billionaire already, but damnit that dude Dolan, no matter how bad he can be in other areas, he knows how to make you money. Kevin Durant made that mistake by not coming to Madison Square Garden…LeBron James! Wassup!”

Smith then went to ESPN NBA reporter Brian Windhorst, who usually has a pretty good pulse on LeBron. Windhorst was quick to remind Smith that LeBron is in the middle of building a “$100 milllion compound in Beverly Hills,” he has a $50 million option for next season and the opt-in deadline is scheduled for two days after the NBA Draft. LeBron has long expressed an interest in playing with his son Bronny James, who is eligible for this year’s Draft.

“Which means, it’s possible,” Smith said unconvincingly.

LeBron might get traded. KTLA’s sports anchor David Pingalore reported as much on Thursday, although the NBA world has largely ignored the claim despite his track-record on Los Angeles NBA news. But let’s not start these LeBron to New York rumors again, Knicks fans just want to enjoy what’s in front of them without that kind of inevitable heartbreak.

[First Take]