LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh join forces with the Heat in 2010.
But did the Knicks – owned by James Dolan and managed by Donnie Walsh, who deal with health problems – actually actually have the right way to sign LeBron once?
Bill Simmons in “The Bill Simmons Podcast:
“From everyone I’ve talked to since then, it’s clear that the Knicks were the first choice. And I’m sorry for Knicks fans, earmuffs. But it was essentially the loss of the Knicks, and they just couldn’t help it. And the stories are legendary.
They had the legendary encounter. Donnie Walsh was in a wheelchair and Dolan was Dolan. And it was just a suit: they hadn’t prepared anything. And it couldn’t have been any worse, by all accounts. It was a disaster”.
The Knicks made a questionable presentation, and it looks worse when we have learned more. Dolan reportedly distributed copies of his CD during free agent meetings that summer.
But did LeBron really favor the Knicks before the match? I am skeptical, at least as it is presented.
I wouldn’t be surprised if LeBron had several better choices – including Cavaliers and Bulls – at different points in the process. He had an important decision. There was a lot to consider.
Still, it’s different from the Knicks who bring in July 2010 and who arrive short only because they blew up the match.
LeBron also seems to enjoy teasing the Knicks in the following years. The convincing people with whom the Knicks had almost captured him, accurate or not, would fit perfectly.