Confirming what we've all suspected since he made a "Big 3" wedding toast nearly two years ago, Yahoo reports that the agent for New Orleans Hornets star Chris Paul informed the team today that he will not sign a contract extension, and wants to be traded to the New York Knicks. Maybe Paul is just really interested in enrolling at Amare Stoudemire's Hebrew school?
Despite the trade request, insiders say it is unlikely that a trade will be made before the strike-shortened season begins on Christmas day, because the Knicks are devoid of trade assets. Hornets general manager Dell Demp also wants to meet with Paul in person and hear everything from him before he pulls any triggers. This news comes a day after Paul told reporters, “I try not to pay attention to all that different type of stuff. My heart is in New Orleans right now."
Paul will become a free agent on July 1, 2012, at which point the Knicks could have enough salary cap space to sign him and create their own "Big 3" with Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. There have been reports the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers are also trying to trade for Paul.
One factor influencing Paul is his friendship with Knicks star Anthony, whom he got closer to last summer during the lockout. Anthony was asked today after a Knicks practice whether he was "recruiting" Paul for the team: “I'm not involved in that process. No way, that's a subject I don't want to touch or want to deal with. We're very close friends...But we never had any conversations about him coming to New York. That's something that I would leave up to him and him and his family and I'm staying away from that."
