The New York Knicks are expected to be big players in the offseason this summer. New York will be coming off their first NBA playoff appearance in eight years and have plenty of assets at their disposal.
They are stocked up on draft picks and cap space, so they can be aggressive when pursuing free agents or anyone made available via trade. The one position they should be looking at most is point guard.
Elfrid Payton is the starting point guard for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, but that is assuredly to chance for the 2021-22 season. Payton’s shortcomings offensively, especially his shooting, have drawn the ire of fans throughout his tenure and is unlikely to come back as a free agent.
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One player that could be on the team’s radar this offseason is Chris Paul. The Knicks were linked to Paul before his trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Phoenix Suns. Despite being 36-years old, some within the Knicks front office, which is headed by Paul’s former agent, Leon Rose, believed Paul would help legitimize the Knicks and bring back a winning culture.
That happened without Paul as the Knicks won 41 games in Tom Thibodeau’s first season at the helm. Paul would offer a huge upgrade at the starting point guard spot for New York, but Adrian Wojnarowski cautions that he could just use the team as leverage in NBA free agency.
During the latest episode of The Woj Pod, he reported that Paul could use New York and Leon Rose as leverage in talks to return to the Suns. Wojnarowski noted it is hard to imagine Paul leaving Phoenix, as that is where he wanted to be when the Thunder opened up trade talks about moving him.
This is nothing new for the Knicks, who have been used as leverage for years. The only difference this time around is that they should be a viable place for free agents to sign. They are shaking the negativity that has surrounded the franchise for years and turned into winners this season.
Even if Chris Paul uses them for leverage, there will be other point guards available that they can add to bolster their roster. The Knicks will be a team to watch in NBA rumors as free agency approaches.
