PRO: Veteran Leadership
We will start with the good, and this point shouldn’t take much explaining. Chris Paul is one of the leading voices in the NBA. He would bring instant credibility to the Knicks’ locker room. For a young team that hasn’t experienced .500 basketball, let alone playoff intensity, Paul would provide a leading example of how to develop winning habits.
While he can be a pain in the arse as a teammate, it’s because he is demanding. And for a young team like the Knicks, under recently-hired head coach Tom Thibodeau, his pursuit of perfection could be exactly what they need. Imagine both Thibs and Paul barking at the young Knicks players? A bit different than the days when David Fizdale was acting as their best friend.
Paul proved he can embrace a leadership role on a non-championship-level team in Oklahoma City. Danilo Gallinari called him the best leader he has ever played with.
Paul leads his locker room while also acting as the president of the Players Association, a role that has intensified due to the pandemic and recent call to action for social justice. Without question, his leadership abilities would be a great asset to the rebuilding Knicks.