The Suns have had discussions about acquiring Chris Paul from the Thunder, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps.
Talks between the parties have gained traction but there is no deal imminent, according to the ESPN duo. A moratorium on trades remains in place until next week.
Phoenix’s interest in the 35-year-old point guard is somewhat surprising, considering it already has a veteran point guard in Ricky Rubio playing alongside franchise player Devin Booker. Rubio has two years and $34.8MM remaining on his contract.
Phoenix’s interest in Paul shows how badly it wants to end its long playoff drought. The Suns have gone 10 seasons without reaching the postseason.
Paul has a $41.4MM salary on the books for next season with a $44.2MM player option for the 2021/22 campaign. As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, Phoenix would have to cobble together at least $33.05MM in outgoing salary – if acting as an over-the-cap team – to make a trade happen. Rubio’s contract, plus Kelly Oubre‘s $14.4MM expiring contract, would put the Suns close to that figure.
In terms of 2020 draft capital, the Suns own the No. 10 overall selection while the Thunder sit at No. 25.
The Thunder front office has given star players input on possible trade destinations in the past and presumably are extending Paul the same courtesy. Paul played the 2010/11 season under Suns coach Monty Williams in New Orleans.
Depending on the structure of a trade, the Suns could still have significant cap space — somewhere in the $20MM range — to pursue free agents.
It makes perfect sense to me!! Can be Rubio and a 1st for CP3
…facepalm…
Not nearly enough. More like 10th pick plus rubio, oubre and Cameron johnson. Cp3 makes close to 40 million per year so salaries need to match.
Rubio Oubre and #10 for CP3 #25 and #53
Doubt the Suns need to move their pick. They’re taking on a much larger cash position while dealing a good player and an attractive expiring contract.
Agreed, I’d think it’d probably be closer to Rubio & Ourbe for Paul & #53.
Rubio 17m
Saric 8m
Kaminsky 5m
Cap room 11m
Sign and trade Saric
NO! Must be Oubre.
S&T wouldn’t work for a couple reasons.
1 – FA doesn’t start until after the draft
2 – I think a S&T would hardcap OKC. I don’t think they’d be able to add ANY salary at that point, not even on a minimum deal.
I’m not sure the Thunder would have any interest in Rubio. Even if they trade Paul, they already have SGA & Schroder at point. The idea is to have SGA run the team when you trade Paul. Rubio doesn’t allow that to happen. If Rubio has to be involved, a third team may have to be brought in to facilitate the trade.
I think they’d be able to find a taker for Rubio.
Shoot, you could flip him to DET for Tony Snell. DET has the cap space to absorb the salary difference, Snell is a FA after this season, and Rubio would allow DET to move D-Rose.
Sounds like a Win-Win!
Pistons or Knicks help make the trade work
Maybe the clips as well they need a PG maybe Rubio fits the bill
Per article
Rubio 17m
Oubre 14m
Cap room use 10m
Can Suns make playoffs？
My answer is no
It’s not bubble
Why give up picks and a young talent in Oubre for a 35 year old aging PG? Makes no sense at all! Jones has avoided dumb moves thus far with steady progress and team improvement. Why start now? Don’t do it!
Because picks and that young talent in Oubre were not playing at All Star level last season. An older Paul is still better than 95% of the players in the league.
Be hahahaha haha do it! That would be an amazing fail to watch unfold. CP3 is DONE. Take the ball away from Booker and you will essentially sink your own team, this is so awesome!
Man I dont want to see Oubre on what will be a garbage forever rebuilding team like OKC
People keep calling Sam Presti a genius, but I don’t see it. 10 years ago they were in the NBA Finals with 3 future MVP’s. Now all of them are gone and they got next to nothing in return. How exactly is this guy a genius? Sure he was one when he took 3 of the best players in the NBA in 3 straight drafts, but letting them all go isn’t exactly a genius move, is it?
I’m sorry your rockets have done what exactly in that same decade? Other than trade for harden….a big fat zero yourself. We at least WENT to the finals. How about your team?
Oh and you got smoked on the WB trade. We’re bout to flip Paul for assets while your stuck for 3 more years with a past his prime untradeable guard.
Buts let talk how bad okc is…..
LOL trading for Harden is meaningless now. A great trade doesn’t matter if you cant build around that player. 8 seasons of not making the Finals for the Rockets/Harden. It’s been so long that OKC is now better off without him.
Sam Presti is so much better than what you had in Houston for years. He scammed your Rockets into taking on Westbrook and get 4 pick assets in return. He made a bold move to get Paul George. Managed to get him to re-sign and flip him for 6 picks and Shai when he wanted out. Yeah trading Harden was bad but OKC and the Rockets both farthest playoff run since then was game 7 of the west final.
I would deduct points from Presti for adding Carmelo. Pretty hard to get scammed by the Knicks front office but Presti found a way.
I honestly am starting to think you are the ultimate troll.
Turn down a chance to dis CP3 to dis Presti… presto!
GMs will be on the spot this ostensible offseason, with as much work to do as they have ever had to make s positive difference… and in a shortened amount of time.
Even though it’s been too slow lately, firm decisions cannot be made until some dominoes start to fall.
Anyway Presti has his reputation to protect and what direction to go is likely a tough decision from the getgo.
Grammar note: ostensible offseason =equals= “offseason”… The sarcastic use of quote marks, because it is not a long summer now as usual. Ostensible means *in name only*. One could also use *supposed* or *so-called*. Which is better to read, to understand quickly without stopping? I assume the quote-marks, but doing that could confuse since they get used for about four reasons.
I’d much rather have all those picks for years to come instead of being stuck with a pair of chokers.
Once a few picks pan out and the cap allows them to sign literally anyone, they’ll be fine. OKC is basically the next Pelicans.
They do that trade the Suns franchise needs to be terminated.
This trade would make the Suns a 4-6 seed next year.
4th seed would be better than Nuggets
5th seed would be better than Jazz with Bogdanovic
6th seed would be better than Rockets.
No. Suns are still Suns after dealing Oubre and Rubio for Paul.
Gets them an 8th seed I think instead of OKC, because they no longer have Paul.
Not worth it.
Gallinari & cp3 for… Suns’_____, _____, ______, ________ & the 10th pick
Any trade involving CP3 must have at least one or two first round picks attached to the deal going to the other team, not OKC.
Didn’t “must have” picks attached with the Rockets.
If the Thunder can get Rubio and the 10 as part of the return, they should be able to package the 10 with some of their other picks for the 1 to pick Ball. Rubio should be a good mentor to Ball for a year or two if Ball is willing to listen and learn (something I highly doubt).
I get that too, about Ball, but also possible is that he is right, with an international style brewing involving running jump passes and no basis in two-handed chest passes.
Nobody in their right mind is drafting Ball #1.
I would! The only other option is Wiseman, unless you go waaay off the left field & pick Avdija or Pokusevski!
But realistically all that know about hoops & work in the league, not the fans, have no doubt that Lamelo is the #1, easiest pick possible!
In a year when EVERY prospect has pretty big flaws, Ball could easily go #1.
Goes to show what a s**t organization the SUNS are.
Getting am aging CP3 might get them a few more wins, though it’s likely still not enough to get them to the playoffs.
A few more wins would exactly get them to the playoffs. They only missed the playoffs by 2 wins.
This would be the the “most Suns move” ever.
I think Paul on the Suns would be great. They are a team on the rise and I see them being at least the 7 seed. Figure the Warriors will be the other team to return to the playoffs in ‘21.