What if Miami Heat’s LeBron James chose the New York Knicks?

Two years removed from the “Decision” and the ensuing debacle, the Miami Heat are wreaking absolute havoc through the NBA landscape. Speculative journalism is a half-witted attempt at generating interest, but with the NBA the way it is, the chain reaction of Miami Heat SF LeBron James choosing the New York Knicks would have had a drastic fallout.

“What-if’s” are annoying, yet fun. Pondering throughout history with questions like: “What if the Third Reich took England?” “What if Communism never spread?” “What if Dick Dale never invented alternate picking and Surf Rock?” So on, and so forth, speculation is at the hearts of the curious. The curious are the very individuals which form the academia of the world. Therefore, the thinkers of sports are always hypothesizing all sorts of mythical outcomes. In this case, if Miami Heat SF LeBron James chose the New York Knicks, everything would be clustered.

Shortly before James made his decision, Miami Heat SG Dwyane Wade and PF Chris Bosh via a dual telecast revealed their own decisions to join Miami. Many thought Dwyane Wade would return home to Chicago and form a devastating back court with PG Derrick Rose (that is an entirely different conversation) while the intentions of Chris Bosh were largely unknown.

This left the Miami Heat as the favorites, but a front court of then recent Knicks signed PF Amar’e Stoudemire would be more than enticing. Of course, everyone knows what happened next, but what if James decided to go with New York?

The effect would have been massive. Not only would the NBA receive unbelievable ratings beyond what they even cherish now with the Miami Thrice, but the world’s fastest city would have the game’s biggest star. With all the fanfare surrounding LeBron in Cleveland and Miami, multiply that by possibly one hundred.

Forgetting off the court ramifications and focusing on the actual games themselves reveals an incredible amount of discovery to behold. There would be a power struggle unlike any seen in the NBA. This year, it seems almost obvious that the Miami Heat will face the OKC Thunder in the Finals unless OKC plays defense like they have been. Adding LeBron James to the Knicks roster would shake up the NBA like no other move in history. The Carmelo Anthony trade would have never happened, and the New York Knicks would have a core of PG Raymond Felton, SF Danilo Gallinari, SF LeBron James, and PF Amar’e Stoudemire. Most importantly, it would take the league from a trident type mentality to a two ended blade, as cores of Chicago’s PG Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer would go against the aforementioned New York squad along with Miami’s Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. The West would complement these gladiatorial duos with their own PG Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant of OKC, along with less notable but still contending teams like the Mavericks and Lakers.

LeBron’s decision was like putting a fire in the hearts of this city, while bleeding out the lives of so many ‘Cavs faithful. There is no way this type of situation could be replicated, nor predicted. The NBA is a vast web of match-ups, advantages, and superstars. LeBron James had the power in his hands, and chose the most likely team to reward him with a title.

Tags: Amare Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Danilo Gallinari, Derrick Rose, dwyane wade, Kevin Durant, Lebron James, Raymond Felton, Russell Westbrook