Chris Paul is another guard the Knicks have been linked to, with Frank Isle of The Athletic reporting in early March that New York is “gathering information” about Paul.
Paul could benefit the Knicks in various ways. An All-Star this season, even at 34, he is still one of the best guards in the NBA, with a shot and passing ability that hasn’t slowed down.
For the Knicks, they would need all this improvement on and off the pitch to change their perception around the league.
There is however an obstacle for the Knicks, the engagement of the player.
He will have $ 41.4 million next season and $ 44.2 million in 2021-22, which is particularly worrying for someone in his mid-30s. For this reason, trading with Paul could only be a matter of matching wages and not giving up on young talent and withdrawal projects.
New York could send four players with expiring deals to the Thunder, damaging the team’s chances of making the 2021 playoffs but also sweeping over $ 44 million in salaries from OKC books that summer.
If the Knicks succeed in overcoming this obstacle, Chris Paul could give a big help to New York, it could change their mentality.