11/14/2023 0 Comments Chris paul trade ideasThat makes the math a bit trickier, but for our purposes (unless otherwise noted), we’re operating under the premise that these deals take place after Paul’s salary is guaranteed, or that the team agrees to increase the guaranteed money to facilitate the deal. For salary-matching purposes, his full $30.8 million counts toward the suitor team’s incoming salary, but unless that team increased his guaranteed money (or the trade took place after the guarantee date of June 28), his outgoing salary for the Suns would only count for $15.8 million. Turning them into one or two role players each might be the right approach, even if none of the players they’re getting in return measures up to Paul or DA individually.įor Paul, it’s a little more complicated, since only $15.8 million of his contract is guaranteed. The contracts of Paul ($30.8 million) and Ayton ($32.5 million) are a little too rich for their on-court production, which is why their futures feel so precarious. However, a look at the Nuggets and Miami Heat shows how valuable the MLE can be, as well as the importance of finding contributors on middle-tier salaries. They need able bodies to round out a championship-caliber rotation, but they have limited means to do so as an over-the-cap team. The only contracts on Phoenix’s books for next season are Booker, Durant, Paul, Deandre Ayton, Landry Shamet and Cam Payne ($2 million guaranteed of his $6.5 million salary), along with Ish Wainright’s team option ($1.9 million). Or, they could try to turn his $30.8 million contract into multiple role players via trade, which is their best option in theory. If they want to free up more cap room, they can waive and stretch his guaranteed money (about $3.2 million on the books for five years) to push toward the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and biannual exception, but they could no longer re-sign him in that scenario. If the Suns want to resurrect the Point God on a lesser salary, they can waive him, hope he clears waivers, pay him his $15.8 million in guaranteed money, and then try re-signing him for the veteran minimum. But the Suns never got to see what that looked like, and it’s past time to believe they can rely on him as the third-best player as a team with title aspirations. Maybe a healthy CP3 changes the outlook of the most competitive series Denver encountered all postseason. But as soon as he pulled his groin, the Suns were outscored by 18 the rest of the way. With him healthy, the Suns had built an eight-point lead in the third quarter against the eventual NBA champs. Game 2 against the Denver Nuggets was the quintessential argument for and against Chris Paul at this stage. Despite his trademark defiance, last season was the first time it felt like he was losing his battle against Father Time and injuries. Paul will be 39 by the time the next postseason rolls around, and he’s repeatedly struggled to stay healthy enough for the playoffs in Phoenix (and, sadly, throughout his career). In other words, they need guys like Chris Paul…who are not set to earn $30.8 million next season. They need proven playoff performers who can defend, set the table, knock down 3s or attack openings when defenses pay Book and KD too much attention. What they do need are more reliable, productive role players that complement their two superstars on both ends of the court. If anything, new wrinkles in the upcoming CBA highly discourage that approach to team building. It’s the reason we’re already here, talking about Chris Paul trades as one of three main options for the aging Hall-of-Famer.Ĭontrary to popular belief, the Suns don’t need a third star. As the Phoenix Suns try to reassemble a title contender over one offseason, no one outside of Devin Booker and Kevin Durant feels safe.
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