chris paul

Should the New York Knicks aim for Chris Paul or Damian Lillard?

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damian lillard, new york knicks

The New York Knicks head into the 2022 off-season with a head full of steam, and while some might remain negative regarding a tough postseason series against the Atlanta Hawks, the reality is nobody anticipated this Knicks team making it that far in the first place.

What head coach Tom Thibodeau did in terms of defensive proficiency and extracting the most out of his players was simply astounding. He put the Knicks in the right direction after years of traveling down a one-way street. A good analogy to use in New York, as the Knicks continuously took right-hand turns when they had no choice but to go left. However, they are now preparing to enter free agency with money to spend and one goal in mind, pairing Julius Randle with another star.

It was clear during the postseason that Randle couldn’t handle the pressure alone, so finding another quality player to take some of the pressure off and allow the young players to extrapolate on their talent is exactly what management should be looking to accomplish.

There are several players that fit the bill for the Knicks, but they depend on player options and the decision to stick with their current team or seek a trade. One option is Damian Lillard, given his team has failed to push deep into the playoffs and contend for a championship, but the Knicks have the right coaching pieces and money to spend this upcoming off-season, which can be an attractive thing.

Should the New York Knicks target Chris Paul or Damian Lillard?

Chris Paul:

Paul is reportedly looking to opt-out of his contract for 2022. Paul would be owed $44.2 million if he accepted his player-option with the Phoenix Suns, but he seems to be more interested in signing a three-year deal in the $100 million range. Luckily, the Knicks still have Julius Randle under contract and about $60 million to play with once August 1 hits.

Paul is still capable of playing at an elite level, averaging 16.4 points, 8.9 assists, and shot nearly .500 from the field this past season. He is a quality player, and while his point production has taken a slight dip over the years, he’s still managed two consecutive All-Star appearances.

There’s no question signing Paul would be an expensive decision, but he would immediately make the Knicks a far better team, especially as they look for an answer at point guard. Rolling with Elfred Payton, Frank Ntilikina, and Derrick Rose is simply no longer acceptable, despite Rose playing exceptional basketball this year. Rose would be a phenomenal player off the bench to supplement injuries and help the youngsters develop, specifically Immanuel Quickley.

The Knicks do have a healthy number of players preparing to hit FA themselves, as they were on one-year deals. Those options remain Nerlens Noel, Taj Gibson, Elfred Payton, and Alex Burks. Of all four players, retaining Noel and Burks might be in their best interest, as both played pivotal roles in a postseason run this year.

Damian Lillard:

Another player, the New York Knicks, could court is Damian Lillard, a 30-year-old point guard who recently dominated a post-season series against the Denver Nuggets, despite his team being knocked out. Over the past five games, Lillard scored less than 28 points just once and reached 55 points on June 1 in a double-overtime loss. Simply said, his team lacks quality defense, which is something the Knicks are proficient in.

Adding a player of his class and offensive prowess to a team with the number one ranked defense in the NBA during the regular season would be a match made in heaven. Rumors have been swirling that Lillard could look to move on from the Blazers if they were knocked out of the postseason, and considering that just became a reality, it could open the door for a maneuver. He is six years younger than Chris Paul and offers them an elite point guard immediately to pair with Randle.

The problem is, Lillard is on a new four-year, $176.2 million deal, so the Knicks would have to part with significant capital to acquire him. Luckily, New York has been stockpiling draft selections for the past few seasons and has two first-round picks next year they can send to Portland.

While the reality of acquiring Lillard is far from optimistic, the Knicks have the money and draft capital to make it work, but it comes down to the player and his desire to either stay with his current team or take his talents elsewhere.

Report: Chris Paul plans to decline player option; are Knicks in the mix?

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Is a 36-year old Chris Paul the answer to the New York Knicks point guard woes?

The Knicks’ weakest link had been exposed in the playoffs as Tom Thibodeau scrambled for options at the point guard spot. Thibodeau was forced to rely heavily on Derrick Rose, who admirably played well until the former MVP ran out of gas in Game 5.

Enter Paul, who is reportedly planning to decline the lucrative player option that could make him the third-highest paid NBA player next season.

Eric Pincus, Bleacher Report’s salary cap guru, reported on Thursday that Paul would seek a multi-year deal that will pay him up to his late 30’s.

“Paul has a $44.4 million player option, which according to several sources, he intends to decline with hopes of inking a new multiyear deal (perhaps in the $100 million range over three seasons). It’s unclear if his recent shoulder injury changes his plans. Gordon Hayward, who has battled more severe injuries than Paul, made a similar decision this past offseason, opting out of his final year with the Boston Celtics to sign a four-year, $120 million contract with the Charlotte Hornets,” Pincus wrote.

The Knicks balked at Paul’s price tag last offseason. With Paul becoming more affordable, will the Knicks take a flier on his last remaining NBA years? Paul’s ties with the Knicks’ leadership could play a factor.

“The New York Knicks appear to be a player away from being a competitive playoff team in the East. With Paul’s relationship with former CAA agent Leon Rose, now president of the Knicks, the Suns may have some competition for the veteran’s services next season,” Pincus added.

While Paul is currently dealing with a shoulder injury, his impact on a Phoenix Suns team that jumped from a borderline playoff team to the second seed in the West with him has been one of the biggest storylines along with the Knicks’ remarkable rise.

Paul’s friend and former teammate Matt Barnes said in November last year that the Knicks were on his shortlist.

“He was saying the Knicks were an option but, you know, if he was going to New York he wanted the full Knick experience, meaning he wanted the fans, he wanted the essence, he wanted the ambiance of that Madison Square Garden crowd. And going there now, you know, we don’t know if that crowd will ever be back,” Barnes said.

The crowd turnout at The Garden in the Knicks’ first playoff appearance in the last eight years could gravitate Paul to New York and reunite with his former agent Leon Rose.

Paul’s numbers may be down in the playoffs, but that can be attributed to his injury. His leadership, however, is immeasurable. The Suns are on the cusp of eliminating the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, with Paul guiding the team’s young core.

Derrick Rose hinted at Knicks’ big offseason plans following their playoff exit.

“You know how that goes, man, that’s not up to me,” Rose said. “That’s up to the front office. They got big plans. Who knows if I may be back. I don’t know. I’m going to let my agent and them talk about it. But it’s really not up to me at all. We’ll just leave it like that.

Was he referencing Paul or another marquee player? That is up for debate in the next couple of months.

Paul could be the All-Star point guard that could catapult the Knicks to true contention in the East when healthy. But it’s going to be a move that comes with a risk given Paul’s age and playoff injury history.

The Knicks could opt for a younger point guard in LaMelo Ball, a restricted free agent, or Dennis Schroeder. But Chicago is also strongly interested in Ball. Meanwhile, Schroeder has been a big disappointment in the playoffs. The German point guard recently declined a four-year, $84-million extension with the Lakers.

If Schroeder wants more than that, it might be best for the Knicks to take a flier on Paul or Kyle Lowry or bring back Rose while waiting for a worthy successor.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Knicks lose poise in Phoenix; Thibodeau likes this road trip: ‘Iron sharpens iron’

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A head-scratcher at the end of the third quarter sealed New York Knicks’ fate in Phoenix.

In just a blink of an eye, the Knicks gave up four quick points that tilted the momentum and proved to be the harbinger of doom.

The Knicks lost to the Phoenix Suns for the second time in 11 days, dropping a painful 128-105 loss on the road Friday night.

It was their second straight blowout loss after opening their West Coast trip with two easy wins.

The Knicks’ lead over the Atlanta Hawks (37-31) shrunk to just half-game. Miami Heat (36-31) pulled within a game after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves, 121-112, earlier in the night. Boston Celtics (35-32) slipped two games behind after a 121-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls. 

The Knicks blew an opportunity to keep their closest rivals for the fourth seed after squandering a seven-point lead in the second half.

Derrick Rose’s three-pointer gave the Knicks an 88-81 lead with 1:01 left in the third quarter. Then it went all downhill from there.

Torrey Craig tipped in a Devin Booker miss with 0.8 second left before Cameron Payne scored off a lazy inbound pass by RJ Barrett.

The bizarre sequence capped off a 9-0 Phoenix run as the Suns took their first lead since the first quarter.

Payne inflicted so much pain on the Knicks that paralyzed them in the fourth quarter.

The Suns capitalized on that Knicks’ blunder and continued to wax hot. They went on a 22-6 run in the first six minutes of the final quarter. That took the wind out of the Knicks, who ultimately lost their composure.

Taj Gibson and Julius Randle picked up a technical foul each in an ugly fourth-quarter display for the Knicks.

Gibson, who felt Chris Paul undercut him in a rebound battle, poked a bear in Paul with an elbow shove.

Paul was cruising on his 36th birthday, but once he smacked the floor, he fired back with seven straight points for a 114-99 Suns’ lead.

Paul wrapped the win as his birthday gift to himself with a double-double (17 points and 11 assists).

Randle was the next Knick to lose his poise, pushing Jae Crowder after a heated exchange before the play. Crowder responded with a big three-pointer right after.

The loss dropped the Knicks to 2-2 in their crucial West Coast trip with the two Los Angeles teams left in the schedule.

“They’re a terrific team,” Tom Thibodeau tipped his hat to the Suns (48-19), who remained in the hunt for the league’s best record. “It was a very competitive game until the fourth (quarter). I thought, for three quarters, our defense was very good. We felt we need to play 48 minutes to win.”

Just like in their first meeting at the Garden more than a week ago, the Suns buried the Knicks with red-hot outside shooting in the second half.

Phoenix shot 12-of-20 three-pointers in the second half after going 6-for-21 in the first two quarters.

Crowder, in his first game back from an ankle injury, was lethal. He hit half of his 12 three-point attempts to lead the Suns’ second unit with 18 points.

Phoenix ruled the bench scoring, 46-36, with New York missing Immanuel Quickley (ankle) and Alec Burks (knee contusion).

Deandre Ayton outclassed Nerlens Noel. The Suns’ third-year center was dominant with 26 points and 15 rebounds.

Noel was limited to five points and five boards with no steal or block shot.

Gibson tried in vain to pick up the slack with 11 points and six rebounds off the bench. Derrick Rose had 17 points but didn’t score in the fourth quarter.

Randle led the Knicks with a double-double (24 points and 11 rebounds) but scored only three points in the fourth quarter.

Barrett (23 points, eight rebounds, and three assists) was having a terrific game until his mental meltdown at the end of the third quarter.

The Knicks are hard-pressed to bounce back as they swing to Los Angeles to face the Clippers on Sunday and the Lakers, who might have LeBron James back by then, on Tuesday.

“I’m not worried about both of them. I’m just worried about the next one,” Thibodeau said. “I like these games for our team. I think it shows us where we are and the things we need to work on. That old saying ‘Iron sharpens Iron.’ Hopefully, we can improve. It will help us down the road.”

The Knicks (37-30) will need to win three of their last five games to avoid the play-in tournament.

After this rough West Coast trip, the San Antonio Spurs, Charlotte Hornets, and the Boston Celtics await them at home.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @@alderalmo

 

Bridges, Paul fuel Suns’ furious finish to snap Knicks’ winning streak

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knicks, chris paul, julius randle

The two players that got away came back to haunt the New York Knicks.

Mikal Bridges, whom the Knicks passed on the 2018 NBA Draft, and Chris Paul, a trade target last summer, delivered the big blows that ended the Knicks’ winning streak at nine.

Bridges and Paul combined for the Phoenix Suns’ last 12 points in a 118-110 win Monday night at The Garden as they wrapped up their road trip at 3-2.

Bridges hit a three-pointer and a baseline dunk that gave the Suns a comfortable 111-102 lead with 2:53 left. But the Knicks refused to fold up easily and cut the deficit to four, 111-107, on an RJ Barrett drive.

Paul took over from there, scoring the Suns’ last seven points to seal the victory.

“The guys have been fighting all year. In the second half, with the score at 113-110, I thought we had a pretty good defense on Chris and he made a tough shot. You tip your hat. And we got to get going again,” Tom Thibodeau said.

Paul’ off-balance jumper with the shot clock winding down took the wind out of the Knicks.

It was a tough loss for the Knicks, who led by as many as 15 and had a four-point lead in the last 10 minutes. But Paul stood tall in the end with the leadership and steady hands that the Knicks lacked.

If there’s any takeaway from this loss, the Knicks could take solace in the way they dragged the second-best team in the league to the finish line despite Julius Randle playing sub-par.

Randle turned from a wrecking ball into a trainwreck. Derrick Rose tried to pick up the slack with 22 points, 10 coming in the final frame, but it wasn’t enough.

After averaging 30.1 points during the Knicks’ hot streak, Randle cooled off. The Suns’ defense held him to 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting.

Barrett had a quiet 17 points on 18 shots.

Reggie Bullock waxed hot early with 12 first quarter points that helped the Knicks lead by 15, 30-15. But he went into early foul trouble shadowing the Suns’ super scorer Devin Booker. Bullock ended up with 17.

Booker cooked the Knicks with 33 points, with the bulk coming in the middle quarters where the Suns slowly chipped away the Knicks’ lead. Phoenix didn’t grab the lead until late in the third quarter.

An 87-deadlock at the end of the third quarter set up the dramatic finish wrapped with playoff intensity.

The Knicks’ defense, usually sharp in the fourth quarter during the nine-game run, faltered down the stretch. The Suns torched them with 31 points in the final 12 minutes.

Cameron Johnson also stepped up for the Suns. Johnson, the 11th pick of the 2019 NBA Draft where Barrett went third, hit three triples in the fourth quarter after missing his first seven attempts. His last two ignited the Suns’ breakaway from a tight 97-96 score. By the time he drilled his third three-pointer, the Suns were up by eight, 106-98.

Then Bridges made the Knicks pay for passing up on him at no. 9 in 2019. They used that pick to tab Kevin Knox who couldn’t even crack Thibodeau’s rotation.

Both Bridges and Paul shot an identical 8-for-12 from the field. Bridges finished 21 points while Paul added 20 and six assists.

The Knicks will wrap up their current homestand against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday before embarking on a tough six-game road trip. They remained at fourth seed in the Eastern Conference as the Atlanta Hawks also lost to the Detroit Pistons earlier in the night.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

 

 

 

Ex-Knicks coach Dave Fizdale weighs in on Chris Paul trade rumor: ‘Great fit but…’

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The New York Knicks need Chris Paul more than he needs them.

That’s how ex-Knicks head coach David Fizdale sees the situation, reacting to Paul’s trade rumors heading to New York.

“I think the Knicks have to be open to a lot of different things, Fizdale said on ESPN’s “The Jump” on Friday. “Would he be a great fit for them? Absolutely. I think he would fit those kids — Mitchell Robinson going to the rim, they get more spacing, more shooting. Absolutely, he would fit. The big stage. He doesn’t get sick,” Fizdale said.

Paul would present both a short-term and long-term fix for the Knicks.

The 10-time All-Star would instantly help repair the Knicks’ credibility and become the face of culture rebuilt in New York that may attract marquee free agents to come and join him. At the same time, he will also fast-tracked the developmental timeline of their young core and perhaps lift them into a fringe playoff contender. However, Fizdale doesn’t see why Paul should want to go to a rebuilding team like the Knicks.

“His position fits the young players that they have. Mitchell Robinson needs a Chris Paul. RJ Barrett needs a Chris Paul. Kevin Knox needs a Chris Paul. Because of the position placement that’s why I say he could end up, especially in the bottom of the East you don’t know what’s gonna happen. He could squeak in probably if they have a couple of little things here and there but for him, I just don’t think it’s the right move for what he’s trying to get out of his career,” Fizdale explained.

Terrible fit

Even his co-guests analysts ESPN Insider Amin Elhassan and Paul Pierce agree that it’s a terrible fit.

“Awful fit! Awful fit on so many levels,” Elhassan said. “Number one, the Knicks’ whole thing on the summer of 2019, we missed out, guess what 2021 big free agents on the way, let’s keep that flexibility. So every deal they signed was either a two-year deal or a one-year deal. By doing this deal, they basically say: ‘you know what? Nevermind 2021!’ The plan, although we may not agree with what they did short-term. But in the long-term, the idea of kicking the ball ahead of 2021, that something we can get on board of, and when you talk about Chris Paul at his age and that salary the last couple of years of his deal, it just doesn’t fit with the timeline the Knicks are on it.”

“And from Chris Paul’s perspective, what am I gonna do? I’m going to a team and help them be the eighth seed and get swept in the first round? That’s not what he’s looking at this point of his career.”

Pierce would have wished for Paul to be in New York earlier in his career, but not this time where he should be chasing for a ring.

“C’mon man, you’re talking about a vet who’s obviously would be a Hall of Famer and a team that’s on a rebuild, a guy looking to secure his legacy by winning a championship. It’s a terrible fit just like what Amin said,” Pierce said.

Been there, done that

Fizdale, though, sees the wisdom of trading for Paul even if it hurts the cap space of the Knicks for the loaded 2021 free agency.

“I think you can’t try to go big-game hunting all the time,’’ Fizdale said. “You may plan for 2021, and think, I got this money. But that doesn’t mean you’re going to get the guys. I went through it.”

Fizdale and the Knicks sounded confident last year ahead of the free agency that they would net Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving after dumping Kristaps Porzingis to create a space for two superstars. But their plan backfired when the duo went instead to their across-the-bridge rival Brooklyn Nets, much to the Knicks fan base’s consternation.

Fizdale subsequently got fired in the middle of a disappointing season that saw the Knicks ending up in the lottery again. Erstwhile team president Steve Mills would soon follow months later.

Stay on course

Scott Perry remained the Knicks’ general manager, and Fizdale hoped that the organization had learned their lesson. 

“I think you gotta be meticulous about building your team and not think you’re just gonna land these big sharks all the time and so if you acquire winning pieces along the way that fit into the mentality you’re trying to build on your team, the type of guys you want to bring in to build your culture, you snatch them up while you can,” Fizdale said.

“And if a big fish is out there, yeah, you take him, but that should not knock you off from what you’re trying to do, or you see opportunities to improve your team along the way until 2021, you should take those opportunities.”

Fizdale’s advice is to stay on course with what Mills and Perry have envisioned. It remains to be seen whether Leon Rose’s leadership will produce better results that would bring the Knicks back into relevancy.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Report: Chris Paul trade offer on Knicks’ table; Bobby Marks believes he’s not a ‘salary dump’

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New York Knicks, chris paul

Chris Paul and the New York Knicks have been linked to each other ever since James Dolan hired the Oklahoma City All-Star guard’s former agent at Creative Artists Agency, Leon Rose, as his new team president.

The rumor mill heated up on Monday when Jonathan Macri of the Knicks Film School reported that the 35-year old Paul prefers to wind up his career either in New York or Los Angeles.

“I’ve been told by a league source that Chris Paul prefers his next basketball home to be either in LA or NY (Los Angeles is where he resides full time) and that has created some modicum of leverage in the ongoing negotiations between the sides. I’m also told that there is a deal on the table that is comfortable from Sam Presti’s perspective, and the ball is in Leon Rose’s court,” Macri wrote in his newsletter.

The Thunder is believed to have been shopping Paul since he was acquired from the Houston Rockets a year ago in the Russell Westbrook trade. But league executives thought, at that time, that Paul’s massive contract had been the biggest stumbling block in negotiations.

Even the Knicks reportedly turned down a Houston Rockets’ offer centering on Paul before he was shipped to the Thunder. The Knicks’ stance has since changed upon Rose’s arrival.

Paul is owed $85 million over the next two years — $41 million next season (almost 38 percent of the salary cap if it stays flatly at $109 million) and has a $44 million player option the following year.

The Knicks are one of the only four teams with massive cap space to absorb such a contract.

The Thunder are motivated to unload Paul’s contract after they had the third-highest payroll in the league last season. They have recently parted ways with long-time coach Billy Donovan signaling a rebuilding will soon hit the ground running in Oklahoma.

Ian Begley of SNY earlier reported that the Knicks are willing to absorb undesirable contracts to acquire an asset. Still, Paul, despite his age and massive salary, doesn’t belong in that category, according to ESPN’s Front Office Insider Bobby Marks.

The former Brooklyn Nets assistant general manager-turned NBA insider believes the Knicks won’t acquire extra assets if they trade for Paul.

“I see teams having to give up something of value,” Marks told Empire Sports Media. “He’s not a salary dump.”

Presti is banking on Paul’s solid showing last season as leverage in the negotiation table.

Paul led the Thunder to the first round of the playoffs, pushing the Rockets to seven games. The 10-time NBA All-Star averaged 17.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game in 70 games, the most he’s played in a season since 2015-16.

Early in September, a rumored trade involving the Knicks’ young players and future picks has been lined up according to Heavy.com’s Scoop B.

 

Rose and his front office have to think hard about how much they are willing to pay to acquire an All-Star who is about to enter the tail end of his career.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Trade Rumor: Knicks offer for Chris Paul include Kevin Knox, Frank Ntilikina

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New York Knicks, chris paul

The New York Knicks are reportedly preparing a trade package centered on two of their young players plus assets in their bid to land Oklahoma City Thunder’s All-Star point guard Chris Paul.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson of Heavy.com reported that the Knicks have initially lined up Kevin Knox and Frank Ntilikina, the 2021 first-round pick from Dallas Mavericks, the 2021 second-round pick from Charlotte Hornets plus Elfrid Payton and Bobby Portis as salary fillers.

While this is an underwhelming package compared to what Oklahoma City has received in the Paul George trade, the expiring deals of both Payton and Portis will give the Thunder the cap relief they are seeking.  On top of that, they will also have two former lottery picks to add to their young core and extra Draft capital.

The Knicks’ front office, led by Paul’s former agent Leon Rose, view the 10-time All-Star as a culture-builder, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.

Even at 35, Paul managed to show he’s still one of the top point guards in the league after leading the young Thunder core to 44 wins and went one play away from advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

Paul’s remaining $85-million salary and injury history comes with a risk. But it is a gamble the Knicks are reportedly willing to take to fast-track their rebuild.

If Paul moves to New York, he is expected to mentor Dennis Smith, Jr. the same way he did to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma.

The Knicks, however, will face stiff competition for Paul’s services from several playoff contenders. The list include the Milwaukee Bucks, who are facing mounting pressure to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo following another dismal playoff exit.  The ownership promised Antetokounmpo that they are willing to go over the luxury tax to surround him with a championship-caliber cast.  The reigning MVP has Paul in his wishlist.

And it seems the feeling is mutual.

It is an open secret around the league that Paul’s stay in Oklahoma City will be short-lived when he was traded from the Houston Rockets. And as early as last year, the veteran guard has been linked to the Bucks.

“I had heard he wanted to go to Milwaukee,” The Ringer’s Ryen Russillo said on Adrian Wojnarowski’s The Woj Pod. “Of course you’d want to go play with Giannis.”

In a video posted following their Bubble exit, Paul said Thunder GM Sam Presti was straightforward since Day One and that he doesn’t know what the future holds. It’s an ominous sign that he may have played his last game as a Thunder.

Presti has a history of working out favorable trade destinations for their stars in Oklahoma with George going to the Los Angeles Clippers and Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets. It remains to be seen if Paul would request the same, but it is the most logical thing to do at this stage of his career.

Rumor: New York Knicks could be in running to land Chris Paul

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New York Knicks, chris paul

The New York Knicks are in the market for a point guard, whether it be LaMelo Ball in the 2020 NBA draft or a trade piece, upgrading the position is in necessity. Sticking with Elfrid Peyton and Frank Ntilikina would be malpractice moving forward, as the team desperately needs some sort of success to build on.

While recent rumors indicated the Knicks could trade up in the draft to acquire Ball, it might force them to part ways with Mitchell Robinson or more valuable assets. Doing so would be tumultuous for their future plans, but it also might be the best decision. However, there is one alternative that could make sense for the next, and it includes landing Chris Paul.

ESPN’s NBA writer Royce Young provided three teams that could trade for Chris Paul, notably mentioning the New York Knicks. He stated this during an appearance on ESPN’s Hoop Collective Podcast with Brian Windhorst earlier this week.

“I look at three teams,” Young said when asked where Paul could get traded. “Bobby knows better than me, but I look at three teams as the most likely destinations: Philly, the Knicks, and Milwaukee. Those are the three teams that I think are logical places.”

What would Chris Pual bring to the New York Knicks?

Paul is a future Hall of Fame player, and adding him would undoubtedly make the Knicks a better team. They will enter the off-season with over $40 million in cap space available, which means they could fit Paul’s contract. He‘s set to earn $41.4 million next year and a $44.2 million player option in 2021-22. It’s also important to note that Leon Rose is Paul’s former agent.

At 35 years old, he is undoubtedly getting up there in age, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to part ways with him.

This year, Paul played in 70 games, averaging 17.6 points and 6.7 assists. He earned a .489 field-goal percentage and shot .365 from beyond the arc. He earned an All-Star appearance for the first time since the 2015-16 season, meaning he still has plenty of good basketball left in his bones. If the Knicks were to trade for Paul, they would have to unload Julius Randle, who will be making $18.9 million next season. Reports have also indicated they are looking to trade him nonetheless, considering his style of play last year and inability to move the ball on the floor.

The New York Knicks need a ‘pass first’ point guard so badly

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Comes as no surprise, we’ll keep talking about how badly the New York Knicks need a point guard.  Not only do they need one, they need a pass first guard the most.

A few days ago, Forbes’ Tommy Beer dropped some eye opening Knicks point guard facts.  These will go to show how bad all the point guards for team have been.

Would anyone be shocked if Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks in assists?  Welp, from 2005-06 through 2019-20, Anthony was the Knicks franchise leader in assists.

Beer wasn’t done there, he added another one.  From 2009-2010 through 2019-20, the top 3 Knicks in total assists were Anthony, Raymond Felton and, wait for it, J.R. Smith.

Now a point guard doesn’t have to lead the team in assists.  Anybody can be that pass first player.  It’s not a good sign when someone other than the point guard, Knicks leading scorer, is leading the team in assists.

Fans would crush Anthony for being a ball hog.  But those little nuggets from Beer prove otherwise.  Anthony was doing everything to make the Knicks competitive.  Someone had to step up.

The Knicks need to be all in on a point guard in the draft or trade for Chris Paul.  Paul wouldn’t be the best option solely because of his contract it’s better than their current situation.  Paul’s getting 80+ million over the next two seasons.

Paul averages 9.5 assists for his career.  He’s the pass first point guard that the Knicks need.  They’ll trade for Paul or draft a point guard.  Maybe the Knicks will even do both and have the young one be mentored by Paul?  Do the Knicks really want to take on that massive contract for an aging veteran point guard?  You’d think they’ve learned from their past mistakes.  But, then again they’re the New York Knicks.

New York Knicks should target this player over Chris Paul

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New York Knicks, Spike Lee

As we all know, the New York Knicks need a point guard.  There are plenty of rumors about trading for Chris Paul and the possibility of drafting a point guard.  However, is there a better option?

Instead of the Knicks trading for Chris Paul, who arguably has one the worst contracts in the NBA, they should consider their options.   Paul still has two years left on his deal and getting 80+ million.  Not to mention Paul is an aging point guard despite having a very good season.  Plus, the Knicks shouldn’t be thinking about giving up young assets, and most likely picks, for a 34-year-old point guard.

Who the Knicks should really target is Fred Van Vleet, 26-years old, from Toronto.

Some may think that offering Van Vleet max money will be a ‘trap contract’.  He’s playing very well for the Raptors but once he gets paid, he’s play could decline.  In New York, playing for the Knicks, that’s definitely possible.  We’ve seen it before.

Some team out there, maybe the Knicks, is going to offer Van Vleet a lot of money, possibly max money.  He’s a scrappy style of play forces turnovers and has that underdog story that everyone loves.  Van Vleet is quick, can score and has a defensive mindset.

Van Vleet best season was 2018-19 really stepping up his game in the NBA finals.  The Raptors probably don’t win the title without him, and he came back from that championship run an even better player.  Sure, we all wish he was a little taller but he has the determination and drive to win.  As of right now, he’s better than any other point guard the Knicks have on their roster.  He’s averaging 17.6 points, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals this season.

While people in the Knicks organization think Paul can change the culture of the team, it’s best to stay away.  The Knicks have been down that path too many times.  Trying to take on big contracts for a quick fix. It doesn’t work.

Why this wasn’t the best breakdown of Van Vleet or Paul, it’s really simply.  If the New York Knicks are going to trade for or sign a point guard, fans would rather them go younger than older, with a very expensive contract.