Could Chris Paul be packing his bags for New York City?
It sure sounds like it.
Since Paul’s former agent turned Knicks boss Leon Rose took over the franchise, the Knicks have been consistently linked to Paul. The real question has always been whether or not New York could assemble a trade package agreeable to Oklahoma City.
According to Jonathan Macri of Knicks Film School, though, there is a deal “on the table” that the Thunder like. It’s just a matter of whether the Knicks are actually ready to pull the trigger.
Citing his sources, Macri reports that Paul has let it be known that he would prefer a trade either to Los Angeles (where he continues to maintain his permanent residence) or New York. Although Paul does not possess a no-trade clause and doesn’t have the authority to veto a trade to another destination, his advanced age and $85 million price tag make finding another home for him easier said than done.
And while either the Lakers or Clippers could conceivably create a package for Paul, neither team has the future draft assets that the Knicks do, so there’s that.
For those not familiar with Macri, the founder of Knicks Film School (and its newsletter), has become an incredibly respected voice in the New York media and a reliable source for Knicks news.
According to him, Paul could be headed to Gotham City soon.
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.
In the not so distant past, there were other reports out of New York City that suggested the Presti was high on Kevin Knox. It should also be noted that Macri’s report could simply indicate that Presti has made a proposal to the Knicks that would land them Paul, but without knowing the specific parameters of the deal, it’s difficult to gauge how likely it is to actually happen.
Still, with the NBA’s owners wanting to have teams convene for training camp on Dec. 1 and tip-off the season on Dec. 22, this offseason may end up being much shorter than anyone could have predicted.
The Thunder have already dragged their feet with respect to hiring a new head coach — they may actually need to figure out what they’re going to do with Paul sooner rather than later.