Chris Paul Trade Rumors: Can NY Knicks Beat Other NBA Teams' Rental Offers?

Chris Paul has asked, through his agent, to be traded to the Knicks. When you write about sports, every once in a while, you get to write about how you're wrong. I've had heavy doubts that he would want to go to the Knicks and take six million less than his teammates, but apparently, I was wrong and he does. 

So now it's a question not so much of whether, but when he goes to the Knicks if the reports are true, which usually this sort of rumor is. Here's the reason why the Knicks still might have some waiting to do. 

"

 Demps has been listening to overtures from teams around the league and has been actively working under the assumption that Paul would reject a contract extension.

"

Apparently, in spite of it being Paul's desire to go New York, the Hornets aren't happy with what the Knicks are offering, and to be fair, it's not like the Knicks have much. Clearly, they can't trade away either Amar'e Stoudemire or Carmelo Anthony, as that's the reason Paul wants to go there. 

Additionally, they have no draft choices to speak of. They have their 2013 and 2015 first-round picks, but NBA rules prevent teams from trading away consecutive first round picks, and Denver has their 2012 and 2014 picks. 

That means that New York is more or less stuck with the players on their roster to offer in a trade. The most they could offer would be a somewhat feeble package of Toney Douglas, Landry Fields and Chauncey Billups, whose contract expires this year. 

The Hornets, who hardly are the most attractive free agent draw in the country, would want to be landing some players under contract. 

Furthermore, there was a bit of room for another out. The same report says, 

"

Paul has reached out to Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard recently, encouraging Howard to find a way for the two to play together, sources told Yahoo! Sports. That would be a difficult scenario for the Knicks to make happen.

"

So what if another team, say the Clippers, were able to set up a three team trade that had Paul playing with Howard? Would that make a difference? It's impossible to fathom a way where the Knicks would add both of them, but the Clippers have both the cap space and the assets to pull it off. 

They could be willing to gamble that once Paul and Howard actually play together, it will be harder to leave the bird in the hand for the two in the bush so to speak. 

While this rumor certainly cranks up the possibility that Paul would play for the Knicks this year, it doesn't guarantee it. Either way, Knicks fans sure are going to be paying very careful attention to the news the next few weeks.