The Phoenix Suns will reportedly waive point guard Chris Paul, according to Bleacher Reports’ Chris Haynes.
The 12x All-Star was owed a non-guaranteed 30.8 million for this season. Phoenix is in the process of trying to extend its competitive window after acquiring Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade mid-season. The new dynamic duo of Durant and Booker made it past the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round before falling to the Denver Nugget in six games.
New owner Mat Ishbia will now attempt to re-organize the roster around his two stars, and it appears the aging Chris Paul may no longer be a part of the plans. The franchise also let go of head coach Monty Williams at the end of the season, inking former-Laker head coach Frank Vogel to a deal.
Haynes also reported that Chris Paul believes he can play several more years and wants to contend for a championship.
Chris Paul will now headline an unrestricted free-agent class that also features All-Star guards Kyrie Irving and James Harden. While it’s technically possible that Paul can re-sign with the Suns on a cheaper deal (as long as they don’t waive and stretch his $15.8 million owed), Haynes’ words suggest that he will seek out a new home. And it’s not hard to imagine several contending teams would have interest in bringing on the HOF point guard to help lead their locker room.
LeBron James and the Lakers are an easy team to speculate, but I have to imagine most contenders will consider adding Paul depending on the dollar amount he’s seeking. Heck, I could even see a world where the Chicago Bulls give him a call.
Not only did Billy Donovan coach Chris Paul during his one season in OKC, but the team is obviously in desperate need of a point guard. Let’s also not forget that he has a really close relationship with Coby White! Of course, the biggest question would be whether the Bulls present a competitive enough environment. The easy answer is no – at least not compared to the likely many other interested teams around the league. But they do appear to still be prioritizing winning and can likely offer Paul significant playing time.
Now, would this be a smart move for Chicago? That’s a whole different story. I really don’t see this team with a 38-year-old Chris Paul reaching new heights. I’d still probably prefer this team tries to take a step back to build a better long-term outlook. But I can’t deny there are far worse options out there for the team to pursue if they are deadset on remaining somewhat competitive. Paul might have averaged his fewest points per game of his career last season AND shot a meh 44.0 percent from the field … but he still dished 8.9 assists per game!
UPDATE
The Athletic’s Shams Charania added some context shortly after Haynes’ initial report on Wednesday afternoon. While he confirmed the Suns and Paul were exploring options with his contract this summer, he said the door remains open for a trade. Phoenix doesn’t have to make a formal decision on Paul’s contract until June 28. Additionally, Charania said the organization would still consider re-signing him in free agency.
Envisioning a trade with his $30.8 million contract ($15.8 guaranteed) is pretty difficult, especially now that teams know the Suns are considering waiving him altogether. Chances are franchises would just wait to pursue him as a free agent. Still, Charania’s words are a reminder that we still have a few weeks until the Suns have to make a move, which means plenty can still change between now and then.