Chris Paul is not the right fix for the Knicks now
Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns. Credit: Getty Images
A decision on the fate of Chris Paul will come this month, with a June 28 deadline for the Phoenix Suns to be able to waive him and opt out of paying him $30.8 million next season. And that decision could send the 12-time All-Star searching for a new team.
With a star of such magnitude possibly available, it is natural that the Knicks would surface as a possible destination, but it seems unlikely that they will be a landing spot for the 38-year-old point guard.
With the NBA Finals coming to an end, the focus will shift to the offseason, and in any star search, the Knicks figure to be at the center of every rumor. But Paul is not the right fit for the Knicks, nor are they right for him.
ESPN reported before Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday that the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Knicks and Golden State “would all be potential destinations for Paul, who would then sign a deal at a much lower number than the $30 million he’s guaranteed in Phoenix.”
To play in the Finals someday soon rather than watching, the Knicks need help. Their desire for a star is no secret, and neither is the connection between Paul and the Knicks’ front office. Current team president Leon Rose once headed up CAA’s basketball division and formerly represented Paul, who still is a CAA client.
But though the Knicks may have craved Paul at another time, it’s hard to imagine that now. Paul could remain in Phoenix, but given that he has a home in Los Angeles and his family lives there, the Lakers or Clippers are a more likely preference as his career winds down.
Paul averaged 13.9 points and 8.9 assists in 32.0 minutes per game this season, his 18th. He shot 44.0% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range.
With the Lakers, Paul could step in as a starter and achieve what has been talked about quietly — uniting part of the crew that once hoped to unite, LeBron James, Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade.
Anthony and Wade are retired, providing a countdown clock for Paul and James to get together. For Paul to earn a championship ring before his career ends, his best chances might come either by remaining in Phoenix on a cheaper deal or joining James with the Lakers.
The bigger point for the Knicks is that his fit just isn’t right, even if he would provide a roster boost. Paul would step in as a starter with the Lakers or Clippers, but the Knicks’ point guard spot is manned by Jalen Brunson, who just proved himself to be not only the leader of the team but a player who rises in the glare of the postseason.
Pairing Paul and Brunson in the backcourt would give the Knicks an undersized backcourt and come with all sorts of complications. Ideally, Paul could be a backup with the Knicks, but that role currently is filled by Immanuel Quickley, who finished second in the Sixth Man of the Year balloting this season. Quickley is eligible for a pricey contract extension, and the Knicks could trade him. But he is still a Knick, and even if he’d like to be a starter, it’s easier to keep him on the bench than it would be for a future Hall of Famer in Paul.
The Knicks’ star chase will continue, but this one isn’t the right one.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
