Expect Chris Paul to Be Traded Again by Thunder

Chris Paul was an All-Star in 2019-20 in leading OKC to the playoffs.

The Phoenix Suns are making a serious push for the 2020-21 playoffs with the addition of ten-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul.

The Suns traded Kelly Oubre, Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2022 first-round pick to the Oklahoma Urban center Thunder in exchange for Paul and Abdel Nader. The Suns caused Rubio via free agency terminal summer, re-signed Oubre last summer while adding Jerome via the 2020 Draft and Lecque every bit an undrafted costless agent last season.

"Chris' leadership and competitive approach to the game volition have an immeasurable touch on our team," Suns general manager James Jones said in a team statement. "We thank Kelly, Ricky, Ty and Jalen for their contributions to the Suns. Nosotros wish each of them all the best as they keep on what we expect to be long and productive careers."

Rubio reacted to the trade news with a tweet: "… what a business," he wrote.

Paul has two more seasons remaining on his contract, including a player option for 2021-22. He was an All-Star in 2019-twenty, averaging 17.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and half dozen.vii assists as the Thunder surprised many NBA observers by winning 44 games and pushing the Houston Rockets to 7 games in the offset round of the 2020 playoffs.

It is a huge leap for the Suns, who went 8-0 inside the NBA's restart chimera at Walt Disney World in a frantic, only futile, quest to make the playoffs. Paul is owed about $41 meg for this season and has a $44 one thousand thousand player option for next flavor, which was too much of an impediment for other teams that considered acquiring him last summer.

The Suns, all the same, accounted it worth the gamble. They haven't made the playoffs since a run to the Western Conference finals in 2010. Paul is also president of the National Basketball Players Association. The trade reunites him with Suns double-decker Monty Williams; Paul played for Williams in 2010-11 when Williams was in his first season coaching the New Orleans Hornets.

"Human being, I'm 35 years old and I still get a chance to play basketball every 24-hour interval and say that'southward my way of life," Paul said concluding week, when asked nearly trade rumors during an advent in the Time100 speakers' serial. "That is crazy in itself so regardless what happens, I'll be ready."

With this trade, the Thunder have turned the total render on one-time Kia MVP winner Russell Westbrook into three future first-round picks and two choice swaps, in addition to a handful of players. Oklahoma Urban center originally acquired Paul last summer in a blockbuster trade that sent Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for a 2021 first-round pick, a 2024 starting time-round choice, a 2025 get-go-round pick bandy and a 2026 get-go-round pick swap.

This motility, in add-on to the reported Dennis Schroder trade with the Lakers, would requite the Thunder 16 first-round picks between 2020-2026.

Wojnarowski reports the Thunder worked closely with Paul's representatives — Steve Heumann and Ty Sullivan at CAA — to get him to his preferred destination. OKC general managing director Sam Presti had a history of partnering with star players on trades, including ones that featured Westbrook and former Thunder stars Paul George and Carmelo Anthony.

Paul will squad with guard Devin Booker, who in his fifth NBA season fabricated the All-Star team for the first time equally an injury replacement after Portland's Damian Lillard had to drop out. The 6-human foot-5 guard saved his best moments for the chimera and averaged a team-high xxx.five points over eight games while contributing solid defence.

The Suns have some decisions to make on whether to bring dorsum forwards Aron Baynes and Dario Saric, along with guards Cameron Payne and Jevon Carter. The 6-pes-iii Payne — who was the No. 14 overall pick in the 2015 draft — was a surprise contributor after existence signed but before the Suns went to the bubble: He averaged 10.ix points equally a key reserve.

Arguably the most intriguing player on the roster is centre Deandre Ayton, who was the No. 1 overall selection in 2018. The half dozen-foot-11, 250-pounder is still merely 22 years old and averaged xviii.2 points and 11.1 rebounds. He's also had some frustrating setbacks, including missing 25 games early in the twelvemonth after violating the league's anti-drug policy.

Ayton is most constructive on the interior just has been working on his outside shot. He hit the start 3 3-pointers of his career in the Florida bubble.

Data from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Source: https://www.nba.com/news/reports-thunder-agree-to-trade-chris-paul-to-suns

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