Suns All-Star point guard Chris Paul has a $44MM player option for the 2021/22 season, but John Hollinger of The Athletic wonders if the 35-year-old may consider an extension before the year ends or possibly a Gordon Hayward-esque move during the offseason.
Hollinger suggests that, just as the Hornets forward did during the 2020 offseason, Paul could opt out of the final year of his extant deal this summer for longer-term money, at a slightly lower yearly number.
Hollinger expects ambitious clubs like the Mavericks, Heat, Knicks and even Pelicans to be interested in Paul, who is still seeking a title in his 16th NBA season out of Wake Forest.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- Should the Lakers want to retain new center Andre Drummond, reserve big man Montrezl Harrell (likely to opt out of the $9.7MM second year of his current deal in the offseason), point guard Dennis Schröder, and guards Talen Horton-Tucker and Alex Caruso, they could face significant cap challenges, as Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report outlines. Pincus notes that the best route to retaining all three would be if the Lakers could get Drummond, currently grappling with a toe injury, to agree to a team-friendly deal worth the taxpayer mid-level exception (worth a projected $5.9MM).
- The NBA announced on Monday (Twitter link) that it has fined Kings swingman Buddy Hield $20K after an exchange of words with referees during a 129-128 defeat to the Bucks on April 3.
- Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma is looking for more court awareness out of shooting guard Talen Horton-Tucker, writes Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register. “He’s been blessed with a gift to be able to get into the paint anytime he wants,” Kuzma raved. “With that being said, getting into the paint means reaching opportunities to find other guys shots.”
Kuzma needs to get more out of himself before he can criticize THT’s performance.
Harrell opt out
Lakers have $109 million for 4 players
Projected
Schröder 23m
Drummond 17m
THT 15m
Caruso 8m
6 vet mins 7m
Total team salary $179 million
Luxury tax alone $138 million
Without Harrell
They have $105M committed to LeBron, AD, KCP, Kuzma, and Gasol next season. They don’t have bird rights for Drummond so the most they can pay him is the $5.9M mini-MLE, just like it says above.
Luol Deng dead money
$5 million
Right. With that $5M in dead/Deng money plus McKinnie’s non-guaranteed salary that puts the Lakers right around the $112M salary cap with Harrell opting out and only 6 players under contract.
Looks pretty bleak with two injury-prone superstars.
If Lakers owners don’t pay $100 million luxury tax next season, they wont win any rings next 5 years.
Drummond is in his prime, he wants money. $6 million is nothing for him.
It’s refreshing hearing kuzma talk about they need more out of.. he should look in mirror
I don’t understand all the hate for Kuzma coming from Lakers’ fans. All he has done is be a consumate role player, and a great teammate for this Lakers squad. He hasn’t complained about his touches, he hasn’t complained about plays being ran for him, nothing. He has just constantly gone out, played quality defense, and played his role pretty dang well game in and game out.
It isn’t his fault that most Lakers’ fans put extremely unrealistic expectations on him after he had a promising rookie season. Also, with LeBron running the team, and especially with AD as the second option, LeBron has asked Kuzma to play a particular role in order to win games, and that is one where he’s asked to do alot of the dirty work that doesn’t always show up in the box scores.
Kuzma has definitely sacrificed for this Lakers squad, and instead of being appreciative and admiring what he does do well, you only hear Lakers fans whining and complaining about how he is a bust and how he hasn’t lived up to his potential…
Well, all I have to say is, you might want to he careful what you wish for, because good luck replacing him if he leaves!!
Well said… they’re called Faker fans and will be the quickest to jump on the Clipper bandwagon if they ever breakthrough.
Heres the thing with kuzma.. theirs an old saying don’t talk about it, be about it.. kuzma talks about his sacrifices and he’d be a number one option on another team.. the problem with kuz, his numbers with lebron out aren’t great. With lebron out, he’s given more of a load offensively and he doesn’t produce.. he shows up against bad teams.He rebounds but guess what, he’s 6’10.. he also doesn’t show up offensively against good teams.. so he’s got shallow stats.11/18 for 30 vs kings and then goes 5/23 vs raptors and clippers for 14 total points.. he’s year 4 after playing 3 years in college.. he turns the ball over and commits boneheaded plays all the time.. he’s airballed 2 free throws and also airballed a layup at the basket… his defensive rating is 107.2 which is average.. his plus minus is +1.2.. he’s 9th in plus minus out of the 11 rotation players.
i am not very fond of kuzma but he has shown good improvement this season especially at the defensive end.
if we switch harrison barnes & kuzma, i.e., put kuzma in the kings’ roster, their numbers would be almost similar. but barnes’ contract is twice as much as kuzma.
Don’t have a stat sheet in front of me, but he has definitely been playing his best ball this season.
Definitely? Kuzma averaged 16 PPG his rookie year and shot 36.6% from three, then he averaged almost 19 PPG his second season while shooting 30% from three. This season he’s averaging a career-low 12.7 PPG and shooting 35.8% from three. Sure he’s playing with LBJ and AD, but has he been that great especially with them hurt?
Great? No… but 27 yr old great players don’t sign a 3/39 in todays NBA-
Lets try and keep it relative. Faker fans have always loved blaming someone whenever the skies aren’t blue out here- For years it was Smush, Lamar until he cracked thru, KCP pre 20 playoffs and even Gary Payton got a shafted while shortly on the team which I found absurd –
Let it go with Kuzma, he likes the Lakers and they like him and he fits well in the current NBA as a versatile big who can stretch the floor. What more do you want from a 25 min/gm guy on a team with LBJ/AD? This is the crap that gives us a bad name Lakers1 , we should be thrilled netting a talent like this at pick 28 and getting 7 probable years of good production for cheap in the meantime
@cap your posts have been pretty off lately man….you feeling okay?
Comparing kuzma to smush and lakers Gary Payton…..that’s says it all. Guy has potential but never has tapped into it consistently he’ll have flashes but for the most part has been more concerned with his image and who he dates.
When it comes to on court production kuzma leaves a lot to be desired. While improving defensively he is still amongst some of the worst in the league. His offense side has also taken a step back from his first season (sure you can blame lebron and ad for sapping minutes but kuzma still get almost the same number of minutes a night and disappears for long stretches even with ad and bron down)
You act as if a fan can’t draw there own opinions or concerns about their team and players. For someone as inclusive as yourself your takes dont offer much acceptance of other’s opinions. Chill.
Never compared the 2 players –
I said Faker fans always have to lay the blame on someone when they are not winning
You came by just in time to prove my point
My point is his inconsistency.. he drops 30
Then follows it up with 2 games of 14 total points.. he’s not a young player anymore especially playing 3 years into college.. jordan clarkson as an example was a 2nd round pick.. his worst year was 12 pts his rookie season..Continued to work and has gotten better.. kuzma stats have been trending down since 2nd year.. is he better defensively yes. But his first 3 years were terrible defensively.. he puts up stats vs bad teams.. he’s averaging less pts this year in more minutes then last.. his 3% pct is nosediving after hot start.. He keeps talking about not knowing his role.. he’s a bench player that plays 28 mins a game.. hes been that these last 2 years..him and Kcp both are inconsistent.. he’s all about kuz mania and being hollywood..
His contract has positive value to all 30 teams in the NBA – Outta all the players to go after (again and again) Kuzma is an odd choice
Kyle Kuzma is a bi-racial angel
LaMar Odom “cracked” through
Apparently his 30 points vs Sacramento wasn’t enough for y’all. Not a great game tonight but Lakers won in a blowout. They’d be winless without Lebron if not for Kuzmas leadership.
lol nice joke..Gasol is the leader tonight..Kuzma was trash
Yep then followed up next 2 games with 14 total points combined on 5/23 shooting for the 2 games.. the frustration is the incinsistency
He’s averaging 38 minutes. 13.7 ppg since lebron has been out. 7 rebounds and 3 turnovers game shooting 38% and 28% from 3.. yeah lakers would be winless without his stats
How anyone thinks that Kuzma will be underpaid the next 3 seasons at $13M/year is mind-boggling. If anything he’ll be overpaid.
Rockets currently own the worst contract in NBA history…. and a bottom 3 record
I forgot, stats win championships.
CP3 has the Suns with 2nd best record in NBA
35 – 14. Which is a big accomplishment. I don’t see why he would turn down a guaranteed 44 mill. Considering he’ll be 36 then. He’s not the Chris of 5 yrs ago. But I can see him play another 2 yrs after next yr. Knicks don’t need him. Rose is the vet mentor PG here. But why not go back to LA for 2 yrs. He could help either team win. Or even Sixers take the mid level for two yrs. Don’t get how you compare him to Hayward. Hayward was 30 when he signed with Charlotte.
Why not just be with the Suns and enjoy the ride. He has as much opportunity to win in Phoenix than anywhere else.
He had his best opportunity to win a title 3 years ago and blew it.
That was CP3’s first, and in all likelihood last, trip to the WCF.
His best chance to win was probably in LAC during Blake’s prime, not when KD was on GSW and LeBron was playing with stacked Cleveland teams
I’m skeptical of how good this Phoenix team really is, but they have a decent chance right now just bc of all the uncertainty with LeBron and AD. West is as wide open as it’s ever been.
Well this is first yr Suns are showing. Well I guess he knows them best. So if he wanted stay yeah why not. I mentioned vet teams cause their window is now.
What an incredible run, especially considering they started the season 11-9.
If Hayward was making 44 million I don’t think he would opt out but Hayward was also younger. CP3 opts our for what a 3/90?
I’m shocked he’s still playing this well tbh. Thought last year may have been his last gasp
Going for a 3 yr / 80-90m ext makes sense for him tho. If he falls off a cliff next year he doubles his guaranteed money. And based on what PHX has done so far he could prob get 80-90m on the mkt this summer.
Interesting by Kuzma… players rarely say that for the public. True in theory though. One could say THTucker is a quick finisher to a short jumper, or, that he never looked for anyone else. But it’s a good shot, should be taken.
Maybe Kuz is saying he is tired of running to the corner and waiting! But LJ believes doing that is sound; not that he does it. Also when Kuzma gets creative instead, he can miss.
It feels awkward but intentional from Kuzma, like he is playing the part of LJ. One hopes there is no conflict in accepting THT.
Teams see other teams pick up CP3, pay up, and start or continue winning; and his PER stays elite. I could see a 3/$85 to get your team over the hump.
CP3 will take the 44 million and play a few more years after on cheap deals trying to get a ring. He really deserves a ring I hope somehow he gets one. Is he the best point guard in the last 10 years? And by point guard I mean actual point guard.
Or that^ but I think he could get at least halfway to $44 for several years and take advantage of GM victory-lust for what OKC and PHX accomplished… besides CPs value alone.
I mean, Donovan is thinking, if it worked for Booker’s team, it will work for LaVine’s team?— very similar stars.
Silliman is 100 million dollars of dead money.
WallyWorld has 100 million dollars of dead Harden money.