Knicks Had Opportunity To Sign Chris Paul If Not For Alienation Of Carmelo

[RealGM Wiretap]

The New York Knicks are attempting to part ways with Carmelo Anthony but there is an alternate scenario in which they pursue Chris Paul in free agency selling him on Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. 

"Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony should have been walking arm in arm to go greet Chris Paul for free agency," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "There's an opportunity to get Chris Paul on this market. He may stay in L.A. and part of it might be because there's nowhere else that makes perfect sense that is worth giving up the money for, but he may go. New York should have been in the Chris Paul conversation.

"Whatever you think of Carmelo, he's extremely popular with that elite group of players.

"I think Phil has done such a disservice to the chances the Knicks have of getting involved with anybody. Carmelo is a cautionary tale of why you don't want to go there."

Via Adrian Wojnarowski/The Vertical

[yourewrong]

I'd rather just dump Melo and begin moving towards the future with KP as the focal point

[ChokeFasncists]

Oh, are they gonna sign another old PG?

[DE FENSE]

Yeah no thanks.

[FreeSpiritNY]

im good thats all we need a player who cant get past the second round and anther player who is a black hole.

Not to mention they are both aged. EASY PASS.

CP3 please take melo and lebron with you it will be funny to see y'all loose to the warriors and still say your not on a super team and need more help.

[Cookin Baskets]

Ha don't make me laugh the knicks are worse then the clippers by far. CP3 needs to go to the spurs.

[knicksup19]

Woj said this as if it's a bad thing, good job phillast thing we need is a gain pg that will help us get best in 6 games round 2 and get crappy draft picks .trade melo rebuild through draft wait out Cavs and gsw it's that simple

[Rek]

So, if Phil and Melo were on good terms that means that the Knicks would magically have a ton of cap room to be able to afford CP3? Sure - great journalism... Any other nifty snippets that someone's agent needs to leak out to the press regardless of how ridiculous?

[chipchipperson]

Not only Is this a bad reason not to move on from melo, it's also a ridiculous scenario that would never have happened anyway.

[jstudabaka]

What a dumb report by Woj. Oh gee, we missed a chance to win 40 games and set our rebuild back a few years. NAOOOOO!

And from Paul's perspective, who needs Pop and Kawhi when you've got Hornacek and 33-year-old Carmelo? Yeah, NY BLEW IT.

[Elnegron]

Nobody wants to play triangle anymore. Knicks will never be good as long as that clown is in town and am not talking about the other clown melo

[nedleeds]

Damn could we have gotten Dewhine Wade also at $20 million ? Sign them all for 3+ more years to not win a title and wheel them into a hospital, while KP wants to kill himself. Fake news.

[The_Hater]

Woj said this as if it's a bad thing, good job phillast thing we need is a gain pg that will help us get best in 6 games round 2 and get crappy draft picks .trade melo rebuild through draft wait out Cavs and gsw it's that simple

Well it's certainly not a good thing if the Knicks can't attract quality free agents because they don't like how some players are being treated. Maybe not in the summer of 2017 but at some point that will be important

[Clemenza]

I always thought in the back of my mind that CP3 could've considered the Knicks if they had their sh*t together

[The_Hater]

I always thought in the back of my mind that CP3 could've considered the Knicks if they had their sh*t together

So would have considered them in 1995? When he was just 10?

[colaroaster]

cp3 has 2-3 yrs left of elite play - he better be careful to what he wants his legacy to look like

imo pelicans or celtics might be his best destination

[IWishIWasHarden]

Phil is looking to rebuild from young players and not just bring in a title contender for a year or two. I don't think Phil really cares about your opinion or Chris Paul joining the Knicks.

[MitchB3]

Carmelo did it to myself though? People forget that Melo was a free agent and had the opportunity to leave but didn't want too, why? Because the Knicks can offer him more money. There has to be some part of you that knew that you and Phil wouldn't work, there are certain systems you know that won't fit your game and Melo, the Triangle isn't your game.

[MrNYYNYGNYK]

It's a pipe dream no way Knicks would have enough money to pay CP3...nobody is taking Noah's contract off the Knicks books

[IkeDoIt]

Carmelo did it to myself though? People forget that Melo was a free agent and had the opportunity to leave but didn't want too, why? Because the Knicks can offer him more money. There has to be some part of you that knew that you and Phil wouldn't work, there are certain systems you know that won't fit your game and Melo, the Triangle isn't your game.

This goes both ways. Phil Jackson and the Knicks organization knows Carmelo wasn't and will never be a fit for the Triangle. But Phil chose to give him almost max money and a No Trade Clause. Teams don't have to sign or resign free agents just because the player wants to sign there. Now Phil is having problems and now Porzingis the Unicorn, whom he wants to rebuild around, isn't happy and may leave in 2 seasons after seeing 2 losing seasons and the horrible treatment of players.
Phil Jackson took the 2nd Seed in the East and turned it into this... think about that