NBA Free Agents Rumors: LeBron James Planning to Sign With New York Knicks in 2015?

LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony could both become free agents this summer if they decide to opt out of the final year of their contracts with their respective teams.

Bulls.com writer Sam Smith is convinced that the New York Knicks superstar will stay in the Big Apple for one big reason—because James will play out his final year with the Heat next season and sign with the Knicks in the summer of 2015.

"Carmelo Anthony is not going anywhere as a free agent this summer. That's because next summer LeBron James is going to join him in New York," Smith wrote.

According to Smith, James will decide not to test free agency this summer, knowing that his preferred destination, which is allegedly the Knicks, will have no cap space to sign him to a max deal in the offseason.

Even if the Knicks sign Anthony to a five-year maximum deal this summer, the team will have enough cap space in the summer of 2015 to sign another superstar to a max deal, while also having room to sign additional pieces to form a title-contending team.

"Say Anthony signs his long term extension with the Knicks this summer, which many believe will occur. After next summer, the contracts of Amar'e Stoudemire, Andre Bargnani and Tyson Chandler will expire. That would give the Knicks salary cap space for a maximum deal for someone like James and enough money for another free agent," Smith wrote.

Smith added that joining the Knicks will be beneficial to James in the long run compared to staying in Miami or signing elsewhere.

James' championship window with the Heat is slowly closing because of Dwyane Wade's deteriorating knee, and winning a title in New York will be even bigger than winning multiple titles with the Heat or any other team in the league.

"You win in New York and your reputation and legacy is enhanced like it can be nowhere else. After all, the Knicks won two titles more than 40 years ago and just about every starter got into the Hall of Fame. It's not like they all deserved to," Smith stressed.