New LeBron Rumors on Knicks Interest and ‘Significant Bonus Lure’ for 76ers to Land Contract

The reigning NBA champion New York Knicks didn’t pursue LeBron James before he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers this past weekend, but that won’t stop him from enjoying New York City.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the “option of joining the Knicks and making his beloved Madison Square Garden his new home arena was not really there for James after the Knicks won it all in June.” However, one source briefed on the process told Stein that the Sixers’ “proximity to New York City indeed emerged as a significant bonus lure” to land the 41-year-old in Philadelphia.

Stein added that the Sixers’ location near New York City helped them beat out the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat to sign James.

“A presumed edge for the Warriors in their long-planned recruitment of James was the notion that he and wife Savannah could to some degree maintain the Los Angeles base they have enjoyed for the past eight years while No. 23 was a Laker,” Stein explained. “New York’s proximity to Philadelphia as well as the team’s Camden, N.J., training facility turned out to be unforeseen perks in the Sixers’ favor to beat out Cleveland, Golden State and Miami.”

Stein went on to add that “signing with the 76ers will enable James to maintain residences in both New York and Philadelphia if he chooses.” His experience will be similar to what another Sixers legend enjoyed during his time on the East Coast.

“Wilt Chamberlain essentially commuted from Manhattan to Philadelphia for multiple seasons in the 1960s and now James will have the ability to sample a similar existence and scratch what the source described as a longstanding itch for the family by establishing a TBD presence in NYC,” Stein stated.