The Suns‘ reported plans to fully guarantee Chris Paul‘s contract for next season don’t ensure that he’ll remain with the team, writes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. The veteran point guard’s $30.8MM salary for 2023/24 only carries a $15.8MM guarantee, and the front office must make its decision by June 28.
Bourguet argues that guaranteeing the deal before that date will make Paul easier to trade. He also wonders whether the rumor that the Suns’ “mindset” to have him as their starting point guard next season was leaked by the team ahead of trade talks or by Paul’s camp to make him more attractive to teams that might be interested in acquiring him.
At age 38, Paul is coming off another disappointing playoff exit that was related to injuries. This time, he suffered a left groin strain in Game 2 of the conference semifinals against the Nuggets that sidelined him for the rest of the series. Bourguet hears that Paul likely would have been able to play if the series had reached a seventh game, but Denver closed it out with a convincing victory in Game 6.
“That was the tough part about the injury, when, before he got hurt, you could just see the offense starting to figure out a few things,” former head coach Monty Williams said. “And then he comes up with an injury that he can’t control.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Bulls star and Los Angeles native DeMar DeRozan has gotten past the feeling that he needs to return home to play for the Clippers or Lakers someday, he said in an appearance on Paul George‘s podcast (hat tip to All Clippers). “I used to feel like that,” DeRozan said. “I used to think like, man I gotta play home so I could see what it’s like. It’s like I get it from both ways now. From home, and I’m able to represent home from where I’m playing. I’m at a stage now where I’m okay now if I don’t. It’s not like an ultimate desire of mine.” George admitted that he tried to recruit DeRozan to the Clippers as a free agent two years ago, but it wasn’t financially feasible.
- As Bob Myers ponders his future, sources tell C.J. Holmes of The San Francisco Chronicle that the contract the Warriors offered would make him the highest-paid general manager in the NBA. Holmes also confirms that Myers is expected to talk to the media next week after spending this week at the draft combine in Chicago.
- As he arrived in Lithuania for the Final Four, EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov didn’t address his NBA future, but he showed that he has been following the Kings, who own his rights, per a EuroHoops story. “In the playoffs, they did their best, but they were facing a superstar like Steph Curry,” Vezenkov said. “The competition in the NBA is really hard, there are so many superstars and ultimately only one gets the rings. However, the Kings had a great season.”
Anferee Simons for DeRozan
DeRozan to Portland, can go hang with his mate Dame and real close to being back home in LA.
DeRozan strikes me as the player never good enough to be the number 1 option on a contender but could he do it as a second option to Dame. Grant would be a great third option, kinda like a poor man’s Kris Middleton and then you have Nurkic locking it all together plus you keep the third overall pick.
Bulls get back a really good young player for DeRozan. Not the perfect fit with LaVine but you do the deal as he is 10 years younger and try work it out later. DeRozan and LaVine aren’t a perfect fit either but you tried that.
Simons LaVine … Pat Will …
Decent trade but Chicago would want more
You will have to add some draft picks to that. Trading DeRozan = Rebuild and the Bulls don’t have a 1st round pick. #3 pick is a price too steep for a player on an expiring contract.
Dallas and DeRozan may be more realistic. The #10 pick may be enough to entice the Bulls. DeRozan would upgrade the roster, and is best suited as a #3 option at this stage of his career.
Not sure Dallas can do much better than DeRozan for the #10 pick.
I’d disagree that the Bulls deserve more. DeRozan is 33 and by the time next season tips off he will be 34 and on an expiring deal. A 33 year old former all star on an expiring deal doesn’t hold that much value.
If you go off stats side by side
DeRozan: 24.5-4.6-5.1 shooting 50-32-87
Simons: 21-2.5-4 shooting 45-38-89
Simons is also 10 years younger and still yet to reach his peak. Whereas DeRozan is past his prime and on a slow decline now.
A straight swap between the two is a great deal for the Bulls and the only reason Portland does it is to please Dame and give him hope of a title next season
I’ve been following DeMar closely since he joined the league. Absolutely love the guy, he’s one of my favorite players and a great dude all around. That said, he’s got a lot of limitations to his game and has never been a player to lift a team on his back. He’s never been more than a number 2 option on a playoff contender and could never be any more than a 3rd option on a championship contender. And he’s getting into his 30s now….he’s not gonna suddenly develop and improve. Masai had to come to terms with DeRozans limitations and move on from him to bring in a championship and any team that thinks he’s a legit running mate to their star player and harbors title hopes is living in fantasy land. His game doesn’t lend itself to playoff success. love the guy, great teammate….but he isn’t helping Dame and Portland go anywhere. You gotta have a lot of 3 point shooting around DeMar or he just clogs up the floor. He can make shots and he gets to the foul line regularly and he’s got value. But it’s a fools errand to overvalue him.
Dame Miller (if drafted) Grant are all great three point shooters
Trade DeRozan for Paul George
DeRozan to the Knicks …….
Come get the respect you deserve player.
That is all they need
DeRozen realizes that most players come to Chicago now to just coast all year: Not make any sort of effort (or enough to look good to the owners), but still collect the check. I mean this org is so screwed up they tried this weird holding out their max cap casuality from playing every day cause he may hurt his knee ( LaVine) (never mind they knew this guy has knee injuries all the time but gave him the max deal in the first place). Then they go get (and keep) Vucavic who clearly does not want to be in Chicago. THEN they keep all their pieces this past trade deadline even though the keystone to their offense is a guy (Ball) with a 2.5 season old knee injury and somehow thinking they will be better next season? Finally they lose their 1st round pick and have no 2nd rd pick this draft.. What a dumpster fire in Chicago, another poorly run franchise by the Reinsdorfs..