It was a wedding toast heard from Broadway to Bourbon Street.
During Carmelo Anthony’s wedding Saturday night at Cipriani’s on 42nd Street, Chris Paul, the superstar New Orleans point guard, predicted a future Knicks Dream Team.
Take that, LeCon.
According to a person who spoke with wedding attendee Amar’e Stoudemire, Paul made the reference during a speech of a potential union of himself, Stoudemire and Anthony, saying:
“We’ll form our own Big 3,” Paul allegedly said.
Attendee Spike Lee nearly passed out at the suggestion.
The Knicks may not have to wait until 2012. The Knicks have an alternate plan as they stockpile a lot of tradeable assets.
A source told The Post on Dec. 15, when trades are permitted for free-agent signees and draft picks, the Knicks will try to put together a package for either free-agent-to-be Tony Parker or Paul.
Raymond Felton, the Knicks’ new point guard acquired last week from Charlotte, will be eligible to be traded in December and if the Spurs or ailing Hornets like him, perhaps either point guard could be had, giving Felton a short Knick run. A Felton/Wilson Chandler package would not be out of the question for at least Parker.
LeBron James was at the wedding, but Paul was not trying to take a dig at him. They are close friends. In fact, James would love nothing more for Miami and the Knicks to one day battle in the Eastern Conference Finals. James-Dwyane Wade-Chris Bosh vs. Stoudemire-Anthony-Paul. Can you imagine?
Knicks fans still are getting over James’ snub and need something to cheer them up after the two-year buildup.
The Knicks have completed their roster, and though it looks like a playoff team with upgrades of Stoudemire, Felton and athletic forward Anthony Randolph, they don’t appear better than a No. 8 seed.
The silver lining is additions still will give them the cap space, according to, team president Donnie Walsh, to sign a max player in 2011 and 2012. Anthony and Parker are free agents in 2011 and Paul and Deron Williams in 2012.
The Knicks have a assembled a bunch of moveable parts — the latest the stunning impending signing of late-blooming Russian 7-foot-1 center Timofey Mozgov, 24, a Russian free agent flying well below the radar. The deal is expected to be completed today when his clearance papers from his Russian team arrive.
Today, four more new faces will be introduced at another press conference at the team’s Westchester practice facility — Felton and the three Golden State additions from the David Lee sign-and-trade.
Surprisingly, coach Mike D’Antoni won’t attend the press conference because he said it’s more important for him to be with the Las Vegas summer-league team, which began play last night.
Nuggets coach George Karl, recovering from cancer, told MSG Network from Las Vegas he feels Anthony should sign the contract extension on the table.
“‘Melo got married [Saturday] night,” Karl said. “I don’t know if he’s thinking about it much. Either way, he’ll be fine and I think in Denver. But it’s very confusing, so I’d be guessing. I know a little more than everyone else but not much more. We need ‘Melo on our team.”
So do the Knicks after the James’ spurning.
“I’m surprised LeBron wouldn’t accept that challenge,” MSG broadcaster/Knicks legend Walt Frazier said. “He didn’t want the security of fans, media, the criticism.”