Much has gone right for the Knicks here in the early part of their season, as they head into the final of the NBA Cup in hopes that a win there can be a springboard into the meat of the year and could, eventually, help them catch the Pistons in the Eastern Conference.
A weakened East has certainly been beneficial for New York, but some of the same issues that dinged the team throughout last season have proven to be stubborn here in this season–the defense has been better, but not great, and coach Mike Brown seems to be as unsure about how to deploy his bench and whom he trusts among his reserves as Tom Thibodeau was last year.
Probably the biggest issue there has been at point guard, where Malcolm Brogdon threw the team’s backup plans into chaos with his sudden retirement before the season. Second-year man Tyler Kolek has been solid in his opportunities, but the Knicks had hoped to have a veteran point guard behind Jalen Brunson this year.
Knicks Have Interest in Chris Paul
They could still get there. After the Clippers and star point guard Chris Paul had an utter falling out early this month, the team decided to send him home and keep him away from the locker room. Paul has said he would retire after this year, and he could simply do so now, but it is unlikely he wants his career to end with the ugliness that ensued in L.A. That is where the Knicks could step in.
Paul’s former Clippers teammate, big man Blake Griffin, thinks the Knicks would make an ideal landing spot.
The Knicks have expressed some interest in acquiring Paul, who would presumably come cheap because of the situation. He has averaged just 2.9 points in 14.3 minutes this season, playing in only 16 games. Paul had also wanted to stay close to his L.A. home when he was looking for a new contract this summer, so convincing him to go across the country to the Knicks might be a tough sell.
‘It’d Be Great for the Knicks’
But still, Griffin backed Paul in the dispute with the Clippers and pointed up the Knicks as a destination.
“What’s crazy is you’ve seen him get to Oklahoma City and see him be a leader, a mentor, a guy who is sort of teaching and helping guys learn the game,” Griffin said, via the New York Post. “He did that for us with the Clippers. Houston was sort of a different situation. He went to Phoenix and it was the first time in forever Phoenix really had true success, with Chris Paul at the point guard. Chris Paul left, and so Phoenix fizzled.
“CP was in San Antonio and sort of did the same thing. So time and time again, he’s proved — that’s been my biggest thing with this whole situation. Time and time again, he’s proved that he’s gone to a team and kind of fit the role that he needed to fit. Played less minutes. Did this, did that. So it’d be great for the Knicks.”
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