Knicks Rumors: Rockets shopped Chris Paul in cap-clearing attempt

The Houston Rockets attempted to shop Chris Paul to the New York Knicks, according to a report.

With $70 million in cap space, the New York Knicks can not only offer max contracts in free agency but acquire large salaries from other teams via trade in exchange for draft assets. It opens money for the other party while supporting New York’s rebuild.

Before free agency could start, the Houston Rockets attempted this; they shopped Chris Paul to the Knicks, who refused their trade exploration, according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor.

This follows a Yahoo report of Paul wanting out due to an “unsalvagable” relationship with James Harden. They were one win away from making the 2018 NBA Finals and ran into the Golden State Warriors for the second consecutive year in the playoffs in May.

Along with this, the Rockets have Jimmy Butler atop their offseason wish list.

Paul’s is one of the top point guards of this generation, but he is 34 years old, played fewer than 60 games each of the last two seasons and had a career-low 41.9 shooting percentage in 2018-19.

The biggest hiccup is Paul’s contract. Houston gave him a four-year max salary in the 2018 offseason, which recently paid out $35.6 million. It will continue to spike to these numbers:

• 2019-20: $38.5 million
• 2020-21: $41.35 million
• 2021-22: $44.21 million

The end of the contract will see Paul turn 37 years old, potentially as one of the NBA’s highest paid players. With injuries and a steadily declining skill set, this agreement’s status as one of the League’s worst and, frankly, untradeable.

The Knicks have the space to assume this salary and need a point guard, but not to constrict their cap for the next three seasons. That does more harm than good and removes them from signing a younger superstar.

Even if the Rockets offered two or three first-round picks to just shed Paul’s salary, this is still a long-term hold on New York’s payroll that will limit them for future transactions.

Instead, the Knicks can stick with Dennis Smith Jr. at point guard, draft one of Ja Morant or Darius Garland on Thursday or sign a free agent like Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker — if either is even in play. Each of them represents a younger, more logical option.

The New York Knicks may still acquire another team’s unwanted salary and receive draft pick compensation for their trouble, but a smaller figure for fewer years. Paul’s three years, $125 million is too large a sum for not just them, but most NBA teams.