NY Knicks: 3 free agents to stay away from this offseason

Free agent NY Knicks should stay away from No. 3) Chris Paul

It seems like every time Chris Paul has been rumored to be available, the New York Knicks have been viewed as ‘serious threats’ to land him.

From his forced ouster out of NOLA back in the summer of 2011 to just last offseason where he was a highly sought-after commodity on the trade block, CP3 to NYC is always a popular storyline that people love to discuss.

Now, with reports surfacing that the Point God is likely to decline his player option for next season, thus making him a free agent this summer, the Knickerbocker are, of course, once again fully in the mix, with Bleacher Report going as far as to suggest he should be viewed as one of their top targets this summer.

While I, personally, love Chris Paul and have for his entire career, at 36-years-old with a recent history of lingering health ailments (nagging hamstring in Houston, right shoulder contusion he’s currently playing through with the Suns), does it seem wise for Leon Rose and co. to give him a max contract?

Answer: no.

Of course, this is not to say that we believe the future Hall of Famer shouldn’t get as much money as he can this coming offseason — with the way he’s performed this season, guiding the Suns to the second-best record in the NBA while averaging 16.4 points, 8.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals on nearly 50 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from deep, he absolutely deserves a high-end payday.

However, the teams that are willing to pay up to get him should be the ones that are on the verge of winning a championship and who feel as though they only need one more piece to do so.

Though we may be optimistic about the NY Knicks heading into next season, they are not yet one of these teams that are just a player away from legitimate contention.

The front office needs to continue building for sustained success, not just a few short-term years of fun like we’ve seen from past regimes.

Yes, the Knicks need a new starting point guard, but one that can develop with this ball club for the long haul and not one that will be 39 by the end of the third year of his next contract.