This must be karma for the LeBron James debacle; Chris Paul has said he wants out of New Orleans, and he's given the Hornets a list of teams. Who's at the top you ask? The New York Knickerbockers. I was so excited when I heard that, not only did he want to leave New Orleans, but his top priority was to join New York, I misspelled Turiaf's name in a recent tweet involving a possible trade for the leagues best young point guard. Using ESPN's handy Trade Machine, I've crafted a trade that would work for both sides.
New York receives: Chris Paul (2 years, $31.8 million) and Emeka Okafor (4 years, $52.1 million)
New Orleans receives: Eddy Curry (1 year, $11 million), Ronny Turiaf (1 year, $4,000,000) Danilo Gallinari (1 year, $3.3 million), Wilson Chandler (1 year, $2.1 million) and Toney Douglas (1.1 million)
The Hornets will be looking for cap relief more than anything else, having signed several veterans to overpriced contracts over the years (Stojakovic ($14.2 million, expiring), Okafor (see above), and Posey ($13.5 million over the next two years). This deal clears Okafor's huge contract and also gets rid of Paul's nearly $17 million per year off the books. They would receive five expiring contracts, one of which (Curry), could be a valuable piece in a future trade with another team looking for cap relief.
The Knicks lose two of my favorite current players, Gallinari and Chandler, but that's the price you have to pay if you want to build a winning team. There aren't many guys like Gallinari, someone who could average 50-40-90 (FG%-3P%-FT%). However, it doesn't hurt as much because the Knicks also traded for Anthony Randolph recently, who will fill in for Gallo's absence quite well. Azubuike could also come in for Chandler and produce (Azubuike's 2009 PER was six points higher than Chandler's).
In the end, the Knicks starting lineup would be Paul and Azubuike in the backcourt, with Randolph, Amar'e, and Okafor in the frontcourt. Those five alone could get at least a six seed in the East. Add in role players such as Bill Walker and Raymond Felton off the bench, and you have a team that could very well challenge the top four in the East (Heat, Celtics, Magic, and Hawks). New Orleans, on the other hand, receive the Peja they wanted to sign in Gallinari, a very good sixth man type in Wilson Chandler, as well as a lot of cap relief. If they waive or trade Curry's contract, they could very well save up to $70 million over the next four years, $70 million which could go to the best free agents of 2011 and 2012.
If this deal ends up happening, it could very well sway Carmelo Anthony into possibly joining the Knicks next year. Everyone would forget about Miami's big three and focus on the real "Big Three" in the Big Apple: Paul, Melo and Amar'e, hopefully coming to MSG in 2011.
I love it, hope it gets done just the way you propose.
ReplyDeleteIt's picking up steam after a source close to the Knicks said that everyone besides Amar'e were available.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/paul_out_effort_EcyvQVSiHUEs2x3BguzHoM
i dont kno if i would give up wilson and gallinari they are good. now eddy curry yes i say get rid of him asap
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm not a big fan of losing Wil and Gallo either, but when healthy, CP3 is one of the best five or six players in the league. It was only a few years ago that he put up the best season by a point guard since Oscar.
ReplyDeleteThe Hornets are not going to trade Chris Paul! The best thing for the knicks to do know is make a trade with the Timberwolves! The Knicks would trade Eddie Curry,Danilo Gallinari, Jerome Jordan and Toney Douglas for Kevin Love, Corey Brewer and jonny Flyn that would be a great trade!
ReplyDeleteC: Kevin Love
PF:Amire Stoudemire
F:Wilson chandler
SG:Azubuike
PG:Felton
Next Year we will get Melo!!!!!
THE KNICKS NEED RAFER ALSTON FOR 1YR.GOOD POINT GUARD,RIGHT NOW UNRESTRICTED COULD RUN AND GUN UNTIL CHRIS PAUL GETS LANDED.
ReplyDeleteThe Knicks need to chill and wait. I think Donnie will get something done I like the team he is building. They reminds me of the old Knicks but with better shooters. Make no mistake this group of guys could play,but it's all about chemistry .
ReplyDeleteBa
The season is in full swing, any more updates on here?
ReplyDeleteyea, there isn't a chance that the Hornets will give up the best PG on the team for the joke of a trade offered above.. and the Knicks are still miserable
ReplyDeletebest PG in the league*
ReplyDeleteThat trade looked good at the time. Now it is irrelevant. Felton is putting up Chirs Paul numbers. He isn't just a role player he is an all-star. Leave the team as is and bring in Melo in the off-season if available. With that you have a top 3 team in the east no question.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more. Felton is really something else. Add to the fact that reports are coming out that Paul's knees are in bad shape, and this trade definitely does not look as hot anymore.
ReplyDelete