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Benchwarmer
If Carmelo Anthony joins Amar'e Stoudemire with Knicks, Chris Paul sees team as NBA title contender
BY Stefan Bondy
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Wednesday, February 9th 2011, 2:40 PM
Sipkin/News
Chris Paul (below) touts Carmelo Anthony (l.) as one of the NBA's elite scorers and sees a pairing of Anthony with Amar'e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton as tough to beat.
Chris Paul says he was just "talking, playing and having fun" at Carmelo Anthony's wedding in the summer, when he toasted to the idea of teaming up with Amar'e Stoudemire and Anthony in New York.
But if a deal for Anthony goes through - and if the Knicks are only one player away from making the toast a reality - Paul sees an immediate title contender at Madison Square Garden.
"No question. No question," he said. "You're talking about probably the best scorer in the league (Anthony) going to a team with Amar'e and Raymond Felton."
Paul and Anthony are good friends, sharing the same agent, Leon Rose, and the same Olympic championship squad in 2008.
He is set to become a free agent after the 2012-13 season, with potential suitors including the Knicks and Nets, who are scheduled to open their arena in Brooklyn the following season.
Part of the reason the Nets pushed so hard for Anthony was to attract Paul, who said Wednesday that winning a title drives free-agency decisions - not money - for superstars such as himself, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.
The Knicks already have an All-Star in Stoudemire, who has emerged as an MVP candidate in his first season in New York. Paul's teammate - forward David West - agreed that the addition of Anthony thrusts New York into the Eastern Conference elite, joining Orlando, Miami, Boston and Chicago.
"Oh yeah, they have to be," West said. "Carmelo is probably the most dangerous offensive guys in the league because of his ability to score all over the place. He would make that team very dangerous."
Unless Paul signs an extension with New Orleans - an unlikely scenario considering the Hornets are in flux and without ownership - Paul would endure the same trade rumors next season that surrounded Anthony the last six months.
Still, Paul claims he's too busy to worry about free agency or his next destination.
"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."
BY Stefan Bondy
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Wednesday, February 9th 2011, 2:40 PM
Chris Paul (below) touts Carmelo Anthony (l.) as one of the NBA's elite scorers and sees a pairing of Anthony with Amar'e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton as tough to beat.
Chris Paul says he was just "talking, playing and having fun" at Carmelo Anthony's wedding in the summer, when he toasted to the idea of teaming up with Amar'e Stoudemire and Anthony in New York.
But if a deal for Anthony goes through - and if the Knicks are only one player away from making the toast a reality - Paul sees an immediate title contender at Madison Square Garden.
"No question. No question," he said. "You're talking about probably the best scorer in the league (Anthony) going to a team with Amar'e and Raymond Felton."
Paul and Anthony are good friends, sharing the same agent, Leon Rose, and the same Olympic championship squad in 2008.
He is set to become a free agent after the 2012-13 season, with potential suitors including the Knicks and Nets, who are scheduled to open their arena in Brooklyn the following season.
Part of the reason the Nets pushed so hard for Anthony was to attract Paul, who said Wednesday that winning a title drives free-agency decisions - not money - for superstars such as himself, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.
The Knicks already have an All-Star in Stoudemire, who has emerged as an MVP candidate in his first season in New York. Paul's teammate - forward David West - agreed that the addition of Anthony thrusts New York into the Eastern Conference elite, joining Orlando, Miami, Boston and Chicago.
"Oh yeah, they have to be," West said. "Carmelo is probably the most dangerous offensive guys in the league because of his ability to score all over the place. He would make that team very dangerous."
Unless Paul signs an extension with New Orleans - an unlikely scenario considering the Hornets are in flux and without ownership - Paul would endure the same trade rumors next season that surrounded Anthony the last six months.
Still, Paul claims he's too busy to worry about free agency or his next destination.
"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."
