There are so many rumors circling around the New York Knicks right now, it's enough to make super-fan Michael Rappaport blush.
With all the turmoil and dysfunction currently surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers, the LeBron James trade rumors have started to swirl. Bovada just released a prop bet on where The King will play next season, and while the favorite is still the Lakers, it's interesting to note the Knicks and the Clippers are only +700, and the Cavaliers and the Heat are not far off.
To be clear, James last year signed a four-year, $153 million contract with the Lakers, who would have to agree to trade him. Jalen Rose is among those publicly urging James to demand a trade.
Just this off-season, the Lakers saw Magic Johnson, the one front-office person James trusts, abruptly leave the franchise. Their head coaching situation is also in flux after Ty Lue, with whom James had a good relationship in Cleveland, turned down a three-year, $18 million offer to coach the team. The Lakers are now looking at veterans like Frank Vogel, Mike Woodson and Lionel Hollins.
With all this swirling around the team, Lakers fans will stage a protest Friday.
Lakers fans will stage a protest tomorrow outside of Staples Center to voice their frustration with the franchise, per @AM570LASports pic.twitter.com/roQvA5PEK8
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 9, 2019
With all the turmoil in Laker Land, the Knicks and Clippers are only +700 to add LeBron James next season while the Cavs and Heat are not far off. The Lakers remain the favorites. pic.twitter.com/ubPolG74W9
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) May 9, 2019
Meantime, Irving may have played his final game for the Celtics on Wednesday night when Boston lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The New Jersey native and former St. Patrick High School star is now a 2/1 favorite to join the Knicks in free agency, according to Betonline.ag.
“There’s no time to be disappointed,” Irving said after the 116-91 loss to Milwaukee. “You move on. … It’s moving on to the next thing and seeing where that ends up.”
The #Knicks are now the favorite to land Kyrie Irving in free agency, per @betonline_ag pic.twitter.com/u0RTL2CSjW
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) May 9, 2019
Also in Knicks-related news, Kevin Durant's calf strain is not as serious as it could have been, although he's expected to miss the remainder of the Rockets series.
Kevin Durant injury update: pic.twitter.com/M4oQBpLPyq
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) May 9, 2019
Many in the basketball world think it's a fait accompli that Durant will join the Knicks in free agency this summer, and had he suffered a more serious injury, that would have dampened the excitement of Knicks fans—to say nothing of the Warriors faithful.
And with all this going on, the NBA Draft Lottery is set for Tuesday night in Chicago. The Knicks have a 14% chance at the No. 1 pick, set to be Duke's Zion Williamson. If the Knicks strike gold and pair Williamson with any of the players mentioned above, Rappaport and Knicks fans may blow a gasket.
Of course, the Knicks also have an 86% at not landing Zion, and all of the free-agency speculation remains exactly that until July.
