LeBron James is just teasing Knicks fans now.
The Lakers star seemed to indicate he could have signed with the Knicks during his conversation with Dwyane Wade after Monday night's game against the Heat.
L.A.'s 108-105 victory at Staples Center will likely be the last time the two friends play each other in an NBA game. Wade, who is planning to retire this summer after winning two titles with James in Miami, certainly treated it as such.
"I appreciate you letting it end here," said Wade, who exchanged jerseys with his buddy at mid-court.
"It was either here or at the Garden, that's it," James replied. "That's the only place we could end it at, man."
Wade: "I appreciate you letting it end here."
- House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) December 11, 2018
LeBron: "It was either here or at The Garden." pic.twitter.com/yCoLliKhMZ
James later clarified to reporters that he indeed meant Madison Square Garden, but added his remark was more focused on MSG as a venue, not the team that plays there.
"I told him, I said, 'What's the odds that our last game would be in an environment like this?'" James said in reference to Wade, per ESPN. "He was like, 'Thank you for coming here because our last meeting is in Staples Center.' I said, 'There's only two places that could have ended it: It's here and Madison Square Garden.' And I felt like here is even more [appropriate] because of the star power. And for us to be throughout this journey our whole lives and for us to have that final possession and us have those moments in the game, Staples Center is a place that appreciates that."
In order for the two to play at MSG, however, at least one of them needed to be a Knick. Both were free agents this past summer, but Knicks fans had much higher hopes for a LeBron arrival with Wade opting to stay put.
James, of course, decided to go to Hollywood, once again dashing the dreams of fans at MSG.