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If Russell Westbrook is on the discount aisle, Knicks president Leon Rose is all over it, according to NBA sources.
With Chris Paul’s business situation in the air, Rose still has some interest in seeing if he can pull Westbrook out of Houston, if he’s on sale, but that would seem like a long shot.
Reports indicate the explosives ringleader wants out. The Knicks feel they have a lot of leverage and aren’t trying to give up on future key pawns, sources say. Their potential interest could come from its use as a fear tactic with OKC in all of Paul’s discussions.
With plenty of gasoline in the tank, Westbrook has just completed a 2019-20 season in which he averaged 27.2 points, 7.0 assists and 7.9 rebounds for the Rockets.
The Knicks have a cap on inheriting the three years and $ 130 million has left Westbrook’s contract. It would be more palatable if a deal included Julius Randle and Dennis Smith Jr., more softened by one of the two future first Dallas players.
It doesn’t look like the Rockets, if they trade him, will get a monster package for Westbrook, who turned 32 on Thursday. The Clippers and Hornets would also have some interest.
Fair or not, Westbrook comes with baggage beyond his contract, as he is not an accomplished leader for a star level player.
In contrast, Paul is older but wiser and considered one of the best leaders in the NBA. CP3 said Thursday night they would agree to stay in Oklahoma City and play for their newly promoted coach Mark Daigneault.
Appearing on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” Paul saw a retouched photo of himself in a blue Knicks No.3 jersey.
Paul could only laugh when Fallon said he could be the co-host if he became a Knick.
“Jimmy, I don’t know,” Paul said. “You probably know more than I do.”
Regarding the Suns / Knicks trading reports for him, Paul, 35, said, “Dude, I’m going to 16th grade. I’ve heard all the rumors you can hear. You learn to control what you can control. I train, I prepare for the season. If something happens, it will happen. I love being in Oklahoma with our team. We had a new coach yesterday. The league is constantly changing.
OKC would have a very high asking price for Paul, whose leadership is undisputed after being credited with saving the season in the Orlando bubble as president of the National Basketball Players Association.
“I played a part, but there were a lot of people who helped,” Paul said on “The Tonight Show”. “It took a lot of phone calls and difficult conversations between the players. Not only [COVID-19] and social justice when George Floyd happened and we were trying to decide as players, should we play or should we stay in our communities? When we made this decision to go play, I was proud of our players.
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