Chris Paul, Oklahoma City Thunder
It would be surprising to not see Chris Paul on this list considering he’s already been linked to the Knicks recently. Nevertheless, Paul does represent a player that the team could potentially target during the offseason. Paul enjoyed a great season with the Oklahoma City Thunder before the hiatus, but considering that OKC is in the midst of a rebuild there’s a good chance that they look to move Paul during the offseason.
The Thunder tried to move Paul last summer but couldn’t find the right trading partner. After a season in which he averaged 18 points, seven assists, and five rebounds per game on 49 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from 3-point range, will that change?
The big issue with Paul is the fact that his contract extends through the 2021-22 season (with a $44 million player option that he will absolutely not commit to declining). That means any team that wishes to trade for him would almost definitely have to punt on the star-studded summer of 2021.
If the Knicks are looking to add a star, regardless of the price, Chris Paul would certainly fit the bill. However, I have a hard time believing that the Knicks would be OK with giving up on their Giannis dream this early.