Chris Paul is two wins away from his first NBA title, and that makes him an even more appealing potential acquisition for one New York Knicks legend.
Retired Knicks icon Earl “The Pearl” Monroe told Marc Berman of the New York Post this week that he wants to see Paul join the Knicks.
“I would love to see him at the Garden,” Monroe said of the 11-time All-Star Paul. “His game is made for 33rd Street. I would love to see it, but I don’t know if it will happen. You get to a point that he’s going to teams, except for OKC, that can compete for the championship. I don’t know if the Knicks can compete unless they get another piece.
“If they get [Paul] and one more piece, I would love to see him direct that,” Monroe added. “They have a nucleus of guys. They need a little bit more. They were very competitive all year and didn’t have [center] Mitchell Robinson most of the year.”
Paul, 36, has a $44.2 million player option for next season, but he may be planning to decline it. On paper, the Knicks have a lot of cap space and are improving their standing as a destination for stars after their surprise run to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Paul’s former agent, Leon Rose, is also their team president.
But it is hard to imagine Paul leaving Phoenix, a team with a couple of elite under-25 stars in Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, if they go on to win the championship. The Knicks might not even have a shot at signing Paul regardless because of a little-known CBA rule.
