Enes Kanter Working on LeBron James to Knicks, 'If He Wins Here, He Is the GOAT'

Veteran center Enes Kanter is trying to recruit LeBron James to the New York Knicks this summer, even if the likelihood of that happening seems improbable.

"I'm trying," Kanter told Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. "I don't want to say it's possible, whatever, but I'm trying. Let's give him a shot. Why not? Might just get him. Never know."

He continued: "I'm working, man. I need some help. I'm working on it. I think just because it's New York. If he wins here, he is the G.O.A.T. No question, he is the G.O.A.T. I think we have a good chance to get him, I guess."

James may indeed be the G.O.A.T. if he won in New York, but only because he'd be joining a tough situation.

The team's best player, Kristaps Porzingis, is unlikely to return before the winter at the earliest as he recovers from a torn ACL. Otherwise, Kanter, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee are the best veteran pieces the Knicks have to offer. Michael Beasley is a free agent, and Frank Ntilikina has shown progress but remains a long-term project.

To afford James, the Knicks will need to clear salary-cap room, though they still won't have the cap space to sign a second superstar unless they make significant trades. That would likely include convincing a team to take on Joakim Noah's bloated $18.5 million salary ($19.3 million in 2019-20).

Kanter, at least, is willing to lighten his wallet if it means landing James.

"If LeBron said, 'OK, I'm coming to New York,' I'll take a pay cut," he said. "This is big news."

But it remains one of James' less appealing options, at least on paper.

In Philadelphia, he could sign with a team already built around two young stars in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The Los Angeles Lakers could sign James and Paul George and have the young assets to perhaps trade for Kawhi Leonard, too. Or James could opt in with the Cavs and force a trade to the Houston Rockets to join James Harden and Chris Paul.

Those situations will be tough for the Knicks to compete with this summer. But Kanter is holding out hope.