While contradictory information has followed around Chris Paul, a small update on the situation. We recall that Chris Haynes, the insider of TNT and Bleacher Report, initially announced that the leader was going to be cut by the Suns. Before ESPN, The Athletic and local Phoenix reporters tempered this news in the following hours, explaining that the future of CP3 was not yet fixed.
What is certain is that Mat Ishbia and Phoenix officials have started discussions with Chris Paul and his agents about his future, and they do not intend to guarantee his next season.
Of the 30.8 million dollars of his contract for the 2023/24 season (the 2024/25 season being completely unsecured), only 15.8 million dollars are thus guaranteed. The problem is that with Kevin Durant (47.7 million), Devin Booker (36 million) and Deandre Ayton (32.5 million), the Suns cannot keep a Chris Paul at 30.8 million, the four salaries not allowing strengthen the team, which in these conditions risks finding itself in the same situation as during the current playoffs, with a lack of effective “role players”.
Exchanging Deandre Ayton could be an option and, there too, the information is contradictory, even if the departure of Monty Williams and the arrival of Frank Vogel seem rather to lean towards a return of the pivot.
With the new collective agreement, which drastically punishes teams that spend too much, the Suns therefore do not have a lot of leeway, and Chris Paul seems to be the best adjustment variable, especially since his age and his history of injuries weigh against him. But what exactly are the options?
Losing Chris Paul
As the Arizona Republic notesthe Suns can simply cut Chris Paul, who would leave with a check for $15.8 million (his guaranteed salary for next season) and could sign elsewhere.
This would loosen the financial vice of the team, James Jones then having the “non-taxpayer mid-level exception” at 12 million dollars to attract a free agent likely to play with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton. The club president would also have access to the $4.5 million bi-annual exception and could retain a majority of the club’s current free agents for next season.
With this option, Phoenix could recover interesting “role players” to densify its rotation and avoid the scenario experienced against the Nuggets. Still, they will have a hard time getting their hands on an All-Star (Fred VanVleet?) likely to take over from Chris Paul in the lead, their room for maneuver remaining limited.
Keep Chris Paul
The second option is to try to keep Chris Paul by cutting him, but betting on the fact that no team will recover him (which is not guaranteed) and that he will want to come back, with a big financial effort since if he still pockets his $15.8 million check, he will have to return via a $3 million contract. In total, he will therefore receive 18.8 million dollars, a dead loss of 12 million dollars compared to what he could have received if his next season had been activated.
A complicated maneuver that would allow the Suns to recover a recruitment envelope of $ 5 million to sign at least one interesting “role player”, and to keep its “free agents”.
Trade Chris Paul
The third option is that of a trade, if a team agrees to take over the entire contract of the point guard. Perhaps teams looking for a veteran point guard (Washington? Chicago?) could be interested , but it’s clearly not the most obvious option at the moment.
In summary, there is a very good chance that Chris Paul will indeed be cut by the Suns. It remains to be seen if he will then agree to return to Devin Booker and Kevin Durant to try to get the title he is missing, now 38, by making a big financial sacrifice in the process, or if he will rather prefer to join another franchise to try and get that ring back.
On the side of the bookmakers, we imagine him joining his friend LeBron James at the Lakers (3.5), the Clippers (5.5) or the Wolves (6.0). A return to the Suns is only the eighth option (11.0) tied with a return to the Rockets.
