Chris Paul to be a New York Knick? Returning to North Carolina to be a Hornet? I can dig a few of these options.
A Phoenix Suns team led by Chris Paul was just two wins from winning the 2021 NBA championship. And after the Finals appearance, most thought they would dominate the landscape of basketball for the next few years with Paul ballin’ alongside the young corps of Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson and Deandre Ayton.
Yeah, that hasn’t happened.
In 2022, they were bounced out of the second round by the Dallas Mavericks. This season, they’re hovering around .500 with a 27-26 record. The 37-year-old Paul, though he’s still valuable in the assist game as usual, is actually posting a career-low tally in the scoring department with an average of 13.7 points-per-game — and this also includes most value metrics.
With the franchise slipping out of the championship picture, the Phoenix Suns are now considering and looking into a future without Chris Paul, according to Marc Stein. To replace Paul, Phoenix has their eyes on point guards such as Fred VanVleet, Immanuel Quickley and Terry Rozier, with a deal potentially being done by the Feb. 9 trade deadline.
The Phoenix Suns have started to assess their future without Chris Paul, per @TheSteinLine
They have identified Terry Rozier, Immanuel Quickley and Fred VanVleet as potential trade targets.
(Via https://t.co/vljR7q5e3u) pic.twitter.com/ApSnY8XThC
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) January 24, 2023
Time to place those futures bets, ladies and gentlemen!
In Oddchecker’s betting odds, they have the New York Knicks as the favorite to land Chris Paul at +200, with the Toronto Raptors right behind them in the No. 2 spot with a +250 figure. The Charlotte Hornets round out the top three with +350.
Here are the rest of the odds on the sheet:
4. New Orleans Pelicans (+450)
5. Atlanta Hawks (+750)
6. Chicago Bulls (+1000)
7. Miami Heat (+1200)
I love how my Miami Heat are involved here as a longshot, as we’re involved with everything. I do love how the Heat are in the mix for nearly every available player on a consistent basis, but here with Paul, I don’t think it’s really needed considering we already have an old point guard in Kyle Lowry. Don’t get me wrong, I love Chris Paul, but I have no interest in the Heat giving up 17 draft picks (sarcasm) to get him — but I love being in the mix, regardless.
So, where do I have Paul going?
Personally, I don’t see a deal getting done here in the next few days, so that’s where I have him — staying with the Phoenix Suns. Though if a deal does get done, I would have to rock with the Toronto Raptors because of the Suns appearing to be very interested in Fred VanVleet. But again, I have him staying in Phoenix.
Now if you ask me where I want him to go if he did leave the Suns; oh man, I’d love to see him go to Charlotte and once again become a Hornet — like he did in his time in New Orleans. Plus, he was born and raised in North Carolina, went to Wake Forest for college. A Charlotte Hornets move would make so much sense in terms of Paul going back home. I’d love to see him be a Hornet again. (RELATED: Extra Footage Of Dramatic ‘No-Call’ Proves Once Again That Everything Surrounding LeBron James Is Overhyped)
If that can’t get done, then I’d love for the favorite New York Knicks to land him. It would be dope to see a legend like Chris Paul playing for that iconic team, wearing that iconic jersey and playing in the iconic arena of Madison Square Garden. And just like Phoenix, he’d still be on a playoff team.
So that’s where I’m at with things. I’d love to see Chris Paul land with either the Charlotte Hornets or New York Knicks, and in that order, but with how I’m seeing things, I’ve got him staying with the Phoenix Suns.
On to NBA trade deadline day … one of the funnest days in sports.