Chris Paul: With Anthony, Knicks Are Title Contender
NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) -- New Orleans point guard Chris Paul thinks the Knicks could be a title contender this year, but first New York has to land the big fish.
At Carmelo Anthony's New York wedding to television personality LaLa Vazquez this summer, Paul toasted the newlyweds by predicting a future Knicks team made up of himself, Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire to counter the one in Miami featuring James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Although Paul admitted on Wednesday he was just "talking, playing and having fun," thinks the addition of Anthony would have an immediate impact at the Garden.
"No question. No question," Paul said before facing the Nets. "You're talking about probably the best scorer in the league going to a team with Amar'e and Raymond Felton."
Would Paul be interested in a joining a Knicks dream team?
"I feel like I got so much other stuff to worry about on a daily basis. I can't even think about a year from now," he said. "I'm trying to figure out how we can beat New Jersey and Orlando. I got a son. I'm getting married this summer. I got a lot more stuff going on."
Anthony has had trade talk swirling around him from New York to Los Angeles since he declined a three-year, $65 million extension in June. Two deals with the New Jersey Nets have collapsed, others have heated up and cooled off, but many still expect he'll be moved by the Feb. 24 trade deadline so the Nuggets don't risk losing him to free agency next summer for nothing.
Frank Isola of the Daily News reported on Tuesday that Los Angeles' Jim Buss rejected a deal that would send Carmelo to the Lakers for Andrew Bynum, "to the dismay" of Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson.
Anthony brushed off the Lakers rumor on Wednesday.
"I've never heard of that. That was a new one," Anthony said. "It is what it is. Everyday is something different. I guess now is the Lakers. Until I hear something from the people that I'm supposed to hear something from, then I don't pay no attention to it."
Further complicating matters is the option for Anthony to stay in Denver.
Anthony said he would "take a real hard look" at signing a three-year, $65 million extension with the Nuggets if he isn't dealt by the NBA's Feb. 24 deadline, according to the Denver Post.
"I was thinking it was something that I would take a real hard look at ... and make my decision," he said.
In order to re-sign, Anthony would need reassurance that Denver is heading in the right direction.
"I'd have to really know and understand what the future holds," Anthony said. "I'm hearing things about what direction they want to go in; they want to get younger and things like that. Though I'm 26, this is my eighth season. I'm not getting younger as far as the years go. Before you know it, I'll be in my 10th, 11th season already. That's something that I really got to take a look at."
How deep into the playoffs could the Knicks go with Carmelo? Sound off in the comments below...
(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
