The Phoenix Suns reportedly plan to release veteran point guard Chris Paul. According to Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report, Paul has already been notified of the Suns’ decision.
Haynes adds that the 38-year-old Paul isn’t thinking about retirement and “plans to play for several more years and is eager to help a team contend for a championship.”
This would be a surprising decision in different circumstances, but it has become clear that the new Suns’ owner Mat Ishbia is not afraid to take big swings since he bought the franchise earlier this year. Ishbia pushed for the acquisition of superstar Kevin Durant ahead of the trade deadline, fired respected head coach Monty Williams, and is now moving from one of the Suns’ key players in recent seasons.
Chris Paul joined the Suns ahead of the 2020-21 NBA season in a trade from Oklahoma City Thunder and has been credited for helping transform an underachieving franchise into a championship contender. He was an All-Star in his first two seasons in Phoenix and played a crucial road in the team’s road to NBA Finals in 2021.
However, Paul has been a shadow of himself this season, averaging a career-low 13.9 points per game during the regular season. He also underperformed in the playoffs as the Suns bowed out in the second round to eventual Western Conference champions Denver Nuggets.
Despite his recent struggles, there is no doubt that teams will line up to sign Paul this offseason. One of the possibilities is his joining the Los Angeles Lakers, a team in need of a proven playmaker, where he would join forces with his close friend LeBron James.
