Adding Beal, Paul Would Tear Down Knicks' Brunson Based Foundation

Restraint defined the New York Knicks' latest rebuild. Adding Chris Paul would be an unnecessary departure from that prudent blueprint.

If the NBA's Executive Year of the Year vote took moves that weren't made into effect, Leon Rose and the New York Knicks' decision-makers might've won the title in a landslide. 

Rose and Co. probably should've earned more recognition as it was: adding a franchise cornerstone in Jalen Brunson, a depth star in Isaiah Hartenstein, and trading three exiles for Josh Hart warranted far more than a mere seven votes. It was the moves that were left hypothetical, however, that paved the metropolitan path to not only their most successful season in a decade but also toward something realistically sustainable. 

The Knicks could've given into Danny Ainge and the Utah Jazz's ransom notes trade proposals that would've sent at least two building blocks in RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes to Salt Lake City. They instead extended Barrett and gave Grimes a chance in the starting five over Evan Fournier fairly early. 

At the draft, they could've taken a risk on a big investment at 11th overall That night was instead used to build part of the Brunson budget. A post-trade deadline waiver wire starring Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook was tempting but the Knicks went all-in for Hart instead at a relatively low risk with the biggest casualty being what became the 23rd pick of the upcoming draft.

Just a year later, rumors attached to the Knicks are threatening to undo all of that. 

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski called the Knicks by name when listing the likely plethora of suitors of Chris Paul, whose career with the Phoenix Suns appears to be setting. Even before the Washinton Wizards made a reported commitment to dealing long-loyal scorer Bradley Beal should they embrace a full-on roster adjustment, another representative of the Worldwide Leader, Alan Hahn, lobbied for the Knicks to conjure up a deal. 

Neither move is pushing the Knicks forward.

The Knicks will undoubtedly look to improve this offseason. This season proved fruitful but it's clear they can't stand pat if they're seeking entry into the Eastern Conference penthouse occupied by Boston, Miami, and Milwaukee. As it stands, they're in a purgatorial elevator with others seeking something greater: some (Philadelphia) have been there for a while and others are trying to make a fairly instantaneous leap (Cleveland). 

Geoff Burke, USA TODAY

The only way Beal and/or Paul earn the Knicks a residency is if they have a time machine to work with modern Brunson. There's no doubt that Beal or Paul would help a contender, perhaps one of the aforementioned penthouse dwellers. But a look at their recent price tags suggests that the Knicks would only be making expensive entries to the "Wait, he played for the Knicks?!?!" team alongside names like Chauncey Billups, Baron Davis, and Rasheed Wallace.

The 38-year-old Paul is due a guaranteed $28 million and it's likely his next contract will be in a similar range. Beal, at the end of his 20s, has proven worthy of the $250 million Washington handed him last summer... when he's healthy, that is. He hasn't played more than 60 games in a season since 2018-19 and has missed 74 games alone over the past two years. 

New York has dealt out some nine-figure contracts in recent months to roller-coaster success. Barrett's $120 million contract extension kicks in next season after a hot-and-cold campaign on his final deal while Julius Randle provided a simultaneously thrilling and disappointing first season on a four-year, $117 million deal of his own.

Do they really need offers to Beal and Paul burdening a legitimately hopeful period on the franchise timeline? It'd be silly to do so with the way the primary backcourt is rolling.

Brunson's $104 million deal seems like a bargain. Brunson is a realistic top option that can keep a team afloat, proving himself worthy of headliner duties even if the Association won't officially recognize it. 

Immanuel Quickley, the Sixth Man of the Year in the eyes of many, likely won't be fully satisfied by a $4 million fourth-year option exercised by the team. Either way, Quickley is matching Paul's production (putting up a PER of 16.3 compared to 17.7 from Paul in Phoenix) and he has been far more medically reliable compared to Beal (missing just one game last season). 

Obviously, the backcourt evolution goes far beyond the contributions of Brunson and Quickley. But, even then, the Knicks are better off investing in the future of second-year starter and outside threat Quentin Grimes than investing in the varying accomplishments and unreliability of Paul and Beal.

With Paul and/or Beal in tow ... two names that pride themselves on being the top options ... opting for the same numbers beyond the far larger contract charge would be several steps backward.

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 Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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