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New York Knicks: Pros and Cons of trading for Chris Paul

By Jeffrey Bellone

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 20: Chris Paul #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts to a foul during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Two of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 20, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 20: Chris Paul #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts to a foul during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in Game Two of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 20, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 10: Chris Paul #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks down court against the Phoenix Suns at The Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 10, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

CON: His contract

The most obvious con of trading for Chris Paul is his contract. Due to make $41.4 million next season with a player option of $44.2 million in 2021-22, adding his salary to the books would turn a friendly cap situation in New York into a bloated one.

Say what you want about the past regime led by Steve Mills, they did their best to keep the Knicks out of cap hell by signing players to short-term deals with team-controlled flexibility.

The Knicks can create close to $45 million of cap space this offseason. They are one of the few teams who could absorb Paul’s contract without needing to send too much salary back to Oklahoma City. This gives the Knicks an advantage in potential trade talks, and quite frankly, besides the connection between Rose and Paul, is the main reason why they are often mentioned in speculation about Paul’s future.

That said, just because the Knicks have cap space, it doesn’t mean they should use it all on one player—a player who is set to turn 36 next May.

Like most teams around the NBA, the Knicks will probably try to maximize their ability to have maximum cap space in 2021 when Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to hit the open market. Adding Paul’s salary would clog up their ability to spend big over the next two summers.

Even if the Knicks were to acquire Paul for next season and then stretch the final year of his deal, it would cost them $14.7 million in dead cap weight over three seasons—not ideal.

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