The Knicks’ Latest Plan for LeBron James

According to SI’s sources, New York will try to woo James by promising to team him up with fellow star free agents, but will reportedly ask all of them to take a pay cut to play in Gotham. Riiiiight: “When the Knicks meet with LeBron James on Thursday, they’ll be offering the free agent a vision as bold as New York itself: Create your own dynasty. A league source with understanding of New York’s plans told SI.com that the Knicks will recruit the Cavaliers’ two-time MVP with a grandiose vision of surrounding him with Hawks shooting guard Joe Johnson as well as an elite power forward — Chris Bosh of the Raptors or Amar’e Stoudemire of the Suns — to form a starring trio capable of contending for championships for years to come. A similar plan has been discussed this week involving a proposed move by James and Bosh to Miami to join with Heat guard Dwyane Wade. The Knicks have decided to target Johnson instead of Wade because of concerns that Wade and James are too similar in style and could clash over control of the ball, according to the source. Though 6-foot-7 Johnson is a four-time All-Star who has led Atlanta to 100 wins over the last two seasons, he is viewed as a complementary player who is capable of joining with James and other stars in a constructive way. Johnson’s importance to this three-headed plan is underlined by the Knicks’ decision to visit him first on Thursday in Los Angeles before circling back to Akron, Ohio, for their scheduled meeting with James.”