As the NBA Finals approach, so does the NBA offseason, a period where the Phoenix Suns expect to be especially busy. There will be several free agents available come July 1, most notably All-Star point guards Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Harden has until June 29 to opt into the final year of his deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. If he declines it, he will become a free agent this offseason.
Harden has been linked to a potential reunion with his former team, the Houston Rockets. But if that plan were to fall through the cracks, the Rockets could target a trade to land Suns’ starting point guard Chris Paul, per NBA insider Kelly Iko of The Athletic.
“Acquiring a veteran point guard is Houston’s primary objective,” Iko writes.”Meaning even if a move for Harden didn’t materialize, names like Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, Donte DiVincenzo and even former Rockets player Chris Paul could be considered should they become available.”
Chris Paul and the Rockets Have History
It makes sense that the Rockets would consider a trade for Paul. He spent time with the franchise from 2017-2019. Paul and Harden were able to make some noise. They captured the top seed in the Western Conference during their first-year teammates. They were also one of the biggest threats to Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors, as they pushed them to the brink in Game 7 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals.
Things did not work out in Houston for Paul. After the Warriors defeated the Rockets again in the 2018 playoffs, he got traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Russell Westbrook. Paul and the Thunder were not given much of a chance to even make the playoffs. Most people thought they would be in the draft lottery. But he helped lead and develop a core of young talent, such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey to a playoff berth where they nearly knocked off the Rockets.
Houston now has a core of younger players similar to that Oklahoma City squad, with Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr, and another lottery pick on the way this season (4th overall). Paul could be the perfect person to help them usher in their new era.
Suns Tried to Trade Chris Paul Before Kevin Durant Deal
But even if the Rockets were to nix the idea of acquiring Paul, it may be time for the future Hall of Famer to move on from the Suns regardless. Paul was brought to the franchise in 2021, hoping to fill the missing piece they needed to become legit title contenders. But that hasn’t come to fruition, and after acquiring Kevin Durant, the Suns’ need for a playmaker has become less dire. But even before the deal for Durant went down, the Suns had been discussing trades for Paul, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
“Don’t forget that, as written here in January, Phoenix had already convinced rival teams that it had begun assessing its post-Paul future,” Stein writes.
“With Charlotte’s Terry Rozier, New York’s Immanuel Quickley and Toronto’s Fred VanVleet circulating as potential trade targets four months ago before new owner Mat Ishbia took control of the franchise.” and pushed for the expensive completion of the Kevin Durant blockbuster with Brooklyn (at a cost of Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and four future first-round picks).”
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Lottery Team Considered Landing Spot for Suns’ Chris Paul