Chris Paul Free Agency: Knicks could have signed point guard if not for Carmelo Anthony trade buzz

The New York Knicks have reportedly blown an opportunity to sign all-star point guard Chris Paul, who will become an unrestricted free agent starting July 1. Paul could have been sold on the idea to join New York due to his friendship with Carmelo Anthony and the emergence of budding star Kristaps Porzingis.

However, the alleged spat between Knicks president Phil Jackson and Anthony has given free agents reason to overlook New York as a destination, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.

"Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony should have been walking arm in arm to go greet Chris Paul for free agency. There's an opportunity to get Chris Paul on this market. He may stay in L.A. and part of it might be because there's nowhere else that makes perfect sense that is worth giving up the money for, but he may go. New York should have been in the Chris Paul conversation," Wojnarowski said in his podcast on Monday.

"Whatever you think of Carmelo, he's extremely popular with that elite group of players. I think Phil has done such a disservice to the chances the Knicks have of getting involved with anybody. Carmelo is a cautionary tale of why you don't want to go there," added the renowned NBA insider.

Chris Paul free agency: Clippers still favourites to re-sign point guard

The Los Angeles Clippers, who own Paul's Bird Rights, are still in the driver's seat. They can offer Paul a five-year max contract worth approximately US$205 million (AU$275 million). It's worth nothing that there has been a lot of Chris Paul to Spurs chatter in recent weeks. If Paul were to go "ring chasing" to San Antonio, he could leave more than US$40 million (AU$53 million) on the table by deciding to bolt from the Clippers. Therefore, the Clippers still remain frontrunners to re-sign Paul in free agency.

It's no secret that the Spurs don't have enough salary-cap flexibility to sign Paul to a four-year, maximum-level contract. They would need to renounce the rights to upcoming free agents Manu Ginobili (could retire), Patty Mills and Jonathon Simmons, besides hoping that Paul Gasol Dewayne Dedmon and David Lee don't pick up their Player Options. Essentially, the Spurs would have to gut their bench to create cap room for Paul, a move that the Golden State Warriors made last summer to sign Kevin Durant.

There is also the possibility of Paul and Anthony joining forces this offseason if the Clippers and Knicks re-engage in a potential Carmelo Anthony trade. The Knicks have very little leverage in the potential trade and are expected to settle for draft picks or cap relief instead of demanding an all-star calibre player in return. Paul averaged 18.1 points, 9.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds in his 12th NBA season. Stay tuned for the latest on Chris Paul free agency and the 2017 NBA free agency.