It has been discussed at length that the Knicks need more guard depth on their roster, both by me and by others. According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post, that depth could come in the form of veteran guard and future Hall of Famer Chris Paul.
Most of the Knicks' guard depth last season was veteran journeymen, like Cameron Payne, Landry Shamet, and Delon Wright. They also, of course, have Deuce McBride and rookies Tyler Kolek and Pacome Dadiet.
Payne, Shamet, and Wright are all free agents, and nobody knows what sort of growth Kolek and Dadiet will show. Even if all of the veterans returned, which seemed unlikely, the Knicks need a guard who can handle the ball and run an offense, specifically when Jalen Brunson is getting a breather.
What the Point God can still offer
Let's be clear, Paul is no spring chicken. He turned 40 in May and has logged over 45,000 minutes over the course of his career. That said, last year proved that Paul can still provide value even at his age. Paul averaged 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists with the San Antonio Spurs.
His 7.4 assists were tied for the eighth-most in the league. Perhaps the most impressive accomplishment was that Paul appeared in all 82 of the Spurs games, something only 10 other players across the league accomplished.
Paul is one of the best passers in the history of the league; he has logged six or more assists in every season of his illustrious 20-year career. The other attractive elements of Paul's game are his ball security and veteran leadership.
Out of every player who played at least 50 games last season, Paul finished third with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.69. Then there are the obvious leadership qualities. The Knicks' desire for an experienced voice in their locker room was the main reason they signed PJ Tucker at the end of last season. Paul knows every trick of the trade, and there is no one better for their young guards to learn from.
Other options
The Knicks have plenty of options to consider for who will fill the backup point guard role. There have been rumors that Tyus Jones, another elite passer who the Knicks have had previous interest in, could be an option.
Then there are elite shooters, like Luke Kennard, whose name has come up recently for the Knicks.
There also, of course, is the possibility they sign or trade for someone who has not been on the media's or fans' radar. The only thing that is clear, the Knicks need more guard depth, and everyone is talking about it.