Getty Suns guard Chris Paul
Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul conducted his season-ending press conference on May 12 and the future Hall of Famer was asked to talk about his future with the franchise.
A reporter asked Paul if he expects to be back with the Suns next season and the 12-time All-Star didn’t mince words.
“My contract not up,” Paul said. “But unfortunately I’m not the GM or anything like that. So we’ll see.”
Chris Paul on whether he sees himself being back with the Suns next season: “My contract not up, but unfortunately I’m not the GM or anything like that. So we’ll see.”
Paul signed a four-year, $120 million contract with the Suns in August 2021. His salary for next season is partially guaranteed and Donnie Druin of Sports Illustrated wrote in May 2022 that Phoenix can cut Paul this summer and “only be on the hook for about half of Paul’s $30.8 million hit.”
“The Suns would only be on the hook for about half of Paul’s $30.8 million hit should they cut him before the beginning of the 2023-24 season, as his deal would become fully guaranteed on 6/28/2023,” Druin wrote. “The last year of Paul’s deal would see no guaranteed money attributed to Phoenix’s cap if he’s waived by 6/28/2024. After that date, the deal becomes fully guaranteed.”
Paul appeared in 59 games this season. He averaged 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists while shooting 44.0% from the field, 37.5% from beyond the arc and 83.1% from the free-throw line. The 38-year-old suffered a groin injury in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Denver Nuggets and missed the rest of the series. The Nuggets, led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, eliminated the Suns in six games.
Report: The Suns Are Expected to Explore a Chris Paul Trade
Tim MacMahon of ESPN reported on May 12 that the Suns are expected to explore a Paul trade this summer. Sources told MacMahon that Paul and center Deandre Ayton could both be on the move.
“There is also wondering around the NBA, according to league sources, about whether Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton — two players who were driving forces in Phoenix’s run to the 2021 NBA Finals but were sidelined for Thursday’s elimination game — will wear a Suns uniform again,” MacMahon wrote. “Paul, 38, who missed the final four games of the series against the Nuggets because of a strained left groin and showed signs of decline throughout the season, is guaranteed a little more than half of his $30.8 million salary for next season. The salary would become fully guaranteed on June 28, and the Suns are expected to explore what they might get if they traded Paul before making a decision on his contract.”
Paul averaged 12.4 points and 7.4 assists in the 2023 playoffs while shooting 41.8% overall and 32.1% from 3-point land. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported on May 12 that the Suns have been giving rival teams the impression that they are looking for a long-term solution at point guard.
The Suns Tried to Trade Chris Paul at the Trade Deadline
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report reported on May 12 that the Suns tried to trade Paul at the February trade deadline.
“That included skepticism that Paul would stay healthy for the postseason run,” Pincus wrote. “More than one source said the Suns were looking to trade him for a replacement before the deadline then shifted gears when Durant became available. … Phoenix is facing a payroll in the danger zone known as the second apron and has limited contracts and picks to send out in trades. The right minimum players could help, but if the Suns want more substantiative change, trading one or two of its top four players is probably the answer. Paul’s salary, in particular, could prove helpful since only $15.8 million of $30.8 million is guaranteed, and his $30 million for 2024-25 is non-guaranteed. If Paul were waived, his salary could be stretched over five years at $3.2 million a season.
“That would immediately drop the Suns to about $8.1 million below the projected luxury tax threshold of $162 million. The team would gain the non-taxpayer mid-level exception (projected $12.2 million) and bi-annual exception ($4.4 million). Spending both would put the Suns back into the tax and hard cap their payroll at roughly $169 million.”