Knicks Rumors: Collateral Damage from Tyson Chandler Deal Will Cost New York

The New York Knicks appear to be the front-runner to land Tyson Chandler, the prize of the 2011 NBA free-agency frenzy, though the externalities of the deal will likely cost the team dearly in the long run.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, the Knicks are working on a deal that would pay Chandler $58 million over four years and require that the team get rid of point guard Chauncey Billups, by way of either the one-time amnesty clause or a sign-and-trade to a good team.

This didn't exactly come as welcome news to Billups, who's played for six teams in his 14 NBA seasons:

At this point, then, the Knicks had better close on a contract with Chandler, lest they think it wise to bring back a disgruntled Billups.

Assuming Chandler comes and Billups goes, in one way or another, the Knickerbockers would be left without a reliable point guard to run Mike D'Antoni's fast-break offense.

That is, unless anyone thinks Toney Douglas and Andy Rautins are fit to take the reins.

Or, unless, the Knicks still think they can pry Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets. ESPN's Marc Stein suggested on Thursday that having Chandler man the middle would give the Knicks enough flexibility and depth up front to to swing Amar'e Stoudemire to the Big Easy. CP3 has already made it clear that New York is his destination of choice, and having Chandler, a friend and former Hornets teammate, playing alongside court comrade Carmelo Anthony would only make a move to the Big Apple that much more enticing.

If that is, in fact, the Knicks' plan, then they're potentially risking the viability of the franchise as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. New York may be CP3's preferred landing spot, but the Knicks will still be hard-pressed to put together a package of players and picks strong enough to outmuscle those around the Association, including the Lakers and the Celtics, who are already beating down New Orleans GM Dell Demps' door.

That would leave New York without a competent point guard to run D'Antoni's point-centric system and, furthermore, without the financial flexibility to find one via free agency or amnesty bidding.

Which, against the likes of the Celtics, the Heat and the Bulls in the Eastern Conference, means New York's chances of competing for an NBA title would be slim.

Almost as slim as the team's odds of signing CP3 as a free agent in the summer.

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