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Isiah Thomas thought he could've gotten LeBron James and Dwyane Wade for the Knicks in 2010
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- Isiah Thomas thought he could've gotten LeBron James and Dwyane Wade for the Knicks in 2010
Isiah Thomas never led the New York Knicks to an NBA title during his time with the team as an executive. Even though that would always remain a fact, Zeke believed that he could've rewritten history by recruiting LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to the Knicks.
Unfortunately, he didn't get a chance to.
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According to Thomas, he was already planning to swoop for James years before The King hit free agency. However, the Knicks needed to win right away and they didn't really have a clear picture of how Isiah would recruit LeBron.
It also didn't help that Thomas got involved in a sexual harassment case filed by a female Knicks executive. With the team losing and his name tied to a high-profile controversy, Thomas was eventually sacked in 2008.
"I have to believe that," Thomas told ESPN in 2010. "Because that was my plan. So I stick to it."
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"I think if you take away that [sexual harassment] trial," he added. "I'm still there, we make the playoffs a couple of times ... and I don't know if Miami has LeBron or Wade. We may have had LeBron and Wade."
Zeke was ahead of everybody in the LeBron sweepstake
From Thomas' perspective, the Knicks just didn't have the patience that he had at the time. Also, because of the conflicts he had with some members of the front office, coaching staff and even players, Zeke regretted getting fired before his plan even materialized.
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"That's a problem with being a visionary," Thomas added of his plan to recruit James. "You're way too far out and by the time it catches up, people will hack you to death."
Looking back, it was either that the Knicks weren't on the same page as Thomas or that they had no idea that Zeke was already making small moves. Apparently, Isiah brought in Eddy Curry and Jamal Crawford as he believed those were the type of players James would like to have on his team.
In a separate discussion in 2020, Zeke noted that those roster moves were aimed at luring James as he had already envisioned that Bron wouldn't re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010.
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"If you look at the way I was trading and drafting, I had targeted LeBron's free-agent year," Thomas once revealed via Bleacher Report. "You can look at our roster and connect all the dots."
Zeke still hoped LeBron would join the Knicks one day
As it turned out, Thomas was right. James left the Cavs and explored free agency in 2010. He indeed teamed up with D-Wade , but not with the Knicks, but with the Miami Heat .
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Despite that and despite parting ways with the Knicks, Zeke hoped to see LeBron take his talents to The Big Apple one day.
"I'd like to still hold onto that dream," Thomas said of James possibly joining the Knicks. "I do think that he'll win championships here in Miami, and they will be a great dynasty. ... But I think when he comes to New York and he wins it in New York, I think he's the greatest player ever."
James is now playing his 23rd season in the NBA.
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As of now, it's safe to say he'll never play for the Knicks.
Related: Pat Riley regrets neglecting Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh after LeBron James left
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
