NBA Rumors: Chris Paul Won't Land in NYC Until Free Agency

Patience is a virtue that New York Knicks fans will be forced to maintain until next summer.

The Big Apple’s Big Three will continue to be only two-third complete because Chris Paul won’t be wearing blue and orange this year.  Paul wants to play in The City That Never Sleeps, but he’s willing to take a longer nap in New Orleans to allow that to happen.  The Knicks don’t possess the pieces to get a trade done this season, so they better hope that the Hornets don’t find anyone that does.

According to Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports, Paul’s agent told New Orleans that, “his client will not sign a contract extension and wants to be traded to the New York Knicks.”  That news is music to Knicks fans’ ears, but it takes more than a player’s dream to play somewhere to wake up and have it become reality.

A source close to Mark Berman of the New York Post revealed that the Hornets aren’t interested in New York’s trade ammo, adding: “I’m told they really don’t want to deal with the Knicks like that.” 

Because NY sold the farm last year for Carmelo Anthony, they lack the talent outside of Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudamire to put together another blockbuster trade.  ESPN’s Ric Bucher even went on to say that a source informed him that, “If Paul leaves the Hornets, he would want the team to be content with the assets it receives in return.”

A trade is impossible. 

The only route Paul would be able to take to NY would be through free agency.  That option is eliminated, though, if the Hornets fall in love with an offer that the All-Star point guard is willing to approve.  And on that note, according to RealGM, Paul is open to signing an extension with the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Clippers.

Paul playing alongside Melo and Amare is anything but a done deal.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer. Follow him on Twitter.