Knicks interested in Chris Paul, would likely have to include Kevin Knox in any deal with Thunder, per report

The Thunder are going into rebuild mode, and would reportedly like to trade Paul this offseason

Regardless of how the rest of the NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat plays out, there are only a few more games left in the 2019-20 season. Soon, it will officially be offseason mode for all 30 teams, and though there are still some financial matters for the league to sort out, the usual activity is about to start picking up. 

One of the main storylines this offseason will be what the Oklahoma City Thunder do with veteran point guard Chris Paul. After playing all of last season in OKC, and leading them to the playoffs, all signs indicate that the Thunder will actually move him this winter. But where? 

Enter the New York Knicks. They are interested in acquiring Paul, though any deal would likely require giving up former top-10 pick Kevin Knox, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. 

If Knicks president Leon Rose takes the leap for 35-year-old Chris Paul, he may have to give up on Kevin Knox, according to an NBA source.

The Thunder are motivated to deal Paul and his massive contract after deciding upon a rebuilding campaign following Billy Donovan's firing. Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti will likely want a first-round pick and a young prospect amid his rookie contract, multiple league officials believe.

According to the source, that young player preferably is Knox, the ninth pick in the 2018 NBA Draft coming off a disappointing sophomore campaign.

Knox was a mess last season, putting up just 6.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting 35.9 percent from the field. But despite the fact that the former top-10 pick hasn't come close to living up to his potential so far, the Knicks are reluctant to include him in any deal, per Berman, and would prefer to part ways with other young players such as Dennis Smith Jr. or Frank Ntilikina. 

In a vacuum, there's no question that it would be worth giving up Knox if it meant a chance at adding Chris Paul to your team. Despite his age, Paul is still playing at an All-Star level, and as we saw last season in Oklahoma City, will raise the standards around the organization. 

However, there are other factors at play here which the Knicks have to consider. For one, they are not close to being a playoff team as currently constructed, and even if Paul helped them get there, they have little chance of making any noise in a crowded Eastern Conference. Paul is also another year older, and still on a massive contract that includes a $44-million player option for the 2021-22 season -- one he will surely be taking. 

Thus, adding Paul means you would be significantly cutting your cap space for the summer of 2021, when a number of stars are set to hit free agency. He would also set a baseline level of success that would likely take the Knicks out of the running for a top pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, which is expected to feature a strong class. 

So while Paul would make the Knicks better, and give them their best shot at making the playoffs since 2013, is middling short-term success more important than continuing to build for the future? Now, the Knicks haven't exactly had much success in the draft or free agency lately, so perhaps the answer is yes. They've been rebuilding for years with nothing to show for it, and Paul's presence could help bring other talents to Madison Square Garden. At the same time, unless they have subsequent moves lined up, that would be putting a lot of faith in a point guard who's about to turn 36 and would have little talent around him. 

Either way, it's clear this isn't an easy decision for the Knicks' new front office.