NBA Trade Rumors: Will Chris Paul Land with New York Knicks?

With Chris Paul and Dwight Howard headed to free agency after the upcoming season, it's never too early to start talking about where they will end up.

Paul, who has proven to be one of the best players in the NBA in his six seasons with the New Orleans Hornets, averaged 15.8 points, 9.8 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals last season, but the Hornets only went 46-36 and were knocked out by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.

It's pretty clear at this point that Paul wants out of New Orleans and it was also fairly predictable when Chris Broussard of ESPN tweeted on Monday night that Paul's preference would be to go to the New York Knicks (Carmelo Anthony is a good friend of his).

Tweeted Broussard:

The most likely scenario is for the Hornets to execute a sign-and-trade with Paul before the deadline this season, giving them at least something while their superstar departs for greener pastures.

Broussard also noted that the new collective bargaining agreement did help the Knicks when it comes to transactions like this.

Said Broussard, via ESPN:

"

"I think they're going to get Chris Paul. I think there's a great chance he ends up in New York ... This deal did help them in certain ways because it allows the big-market teams, luxury-tax teams to do sign and trades for the first two years of the deal."

"

There's also the chance the Los Angeles Clippers could go after Paul, tweeted Broussard, but the Clippers are more interested in Howard and Paul would prefer the Knicks over them.

The short and sweet of it?

It would be hard to see Paul not ending up with the Knicks when all is said and done.