LeBron James was sending a message with Knicks towel: Brian Windhorst
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It’s never an accident with LeBron James.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who has documented James’ career since high school, said the Lakers star was sending a message to the team’s management by draping a Knicks towel over his shoulders during a postgame television interview on Saturday night.
“Obviously LeBron often wears towels and this is why it’s so brilliant because he has perfect deniability,” Windhorst said on his “Hoops Collective” podcast.
“He can just be like, ‘Oh, I just put a towel around my shoulders. What are you talking about? You guys are out of your mind.’ But this is what LeBron excels at. He computes all this stuff. Of course, he was cognizant and aware he was putting on a towel that said New York Knicks. Why would he mess with the Knicks? Because he was using the Knicks as a tool to pressure the Lakers.”
James scored 24 points to lead the Lakers to a 113-105 win at Madison Square Garden, snapping the Knicks’ nine-game winning streak.
He was complimentary of star guard Jalen Brunson — “more than an All-Star level this year” — and the Knicks in the postgame interview.
The win, though, only improved the Lakers to 26-25 as all is not right in La La Land this season.
Despite the relative health of James and fellow star Anthony Davis, the team is battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
James was tight-lipped about his Lakers future — including on his player option for next season — when asked before Saturday night’s game, and that came after he posted an hourglass emoji on X.
And though James’ agent, Rich Paul, shot down trade speculation on Friday involving his client, it is clear James wants the Lakers to make a move to make the team a more viable title contender.
“This is a playbook he has gone to many times,” Windhorst said of the 39-year-old James. “He wants the Lakers to throw it all in to maximize this season… That’s what LeBron is going to do.
“I don’t think he has any intention to leave the Lakers. I don’t think.. he has his position hurt by leaving his future up in the air.”
If James’ position does change or if he opts to leave Los Angeles this offseason, the Knicks are a more attractive landing place than they have been in some time.
Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle have turned the team into legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference, currently sitting as the No. 4 seed with a 32-18 record.
The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported Paul met with Knicks president Leon Rose on Friday to hash out past issues between the two that has made Klutch Sports clients coming to New York challenge.
“The Knicks are going to be very attractive going forward… The Knicks had to be an option going forward,” Windhorst said. “Whatever hatchet they may have buried, it’s almost like the Knicks need Klutch clients eventually whoever it is, it doesn’t have to be LeBron… Somebody is going to want to play in New York. Somebody is going to look at Jalen Brunson and say, ‘You know that wasn’t the worst decision in the world.’”
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