Report: Chris Paul wants to be a Knick

As the lockout-shortened NBA season quickly approaches, and a frantic free agency period prepares to kick off, one of the league's star players appears to be trying to leverage a move not unlike LeBron James' flight from Cleveland before last season.

Chris Paul, the All-Star point guard for the New Orleans Hornets, told the team through his agent that he won't sign a contract extension with them, reports Yahoo! Sports.

Paul's agent also said he is seeking a trade to the New York Knicks, where one of his best friends, Carmello Anthony, currently has a starring role.

Over the summer, Paul and Anthony spent a lot of time together in New York, tweeting photos of their outings and the good time he had in the city. It is perhaps then that Paul decided he wanted to play in Madison Square Garden full time.

If Paul were to join the Knicks, forming a team core with Anthony and star forward Amare Stoudemire would represent a move similar to the recent coming together of other "Big 3" players, like James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, as well as Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce in Boston.

Recently, Paul told the Associated Press he is purely focused on the current season, and it is impossible to tell if or when a trade with the Knicks would happen in the shortened NBA season.

The AP reports that New Orleans has only five players under contract right now. Paul is eligible for the league maximum four-year, $74 million deal with another team when his current contract expires at the end of the season, barring any trades, Yahoo! reports.