Chris Paul Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Notes: Beverley, Rondo, Kennard, Batum

July 3rd, 2021 at 10:48am CST by Dana Gauruder

Clippers guard Patrick Beverley will face a suspension at the start of next season for shoving Chris Paul from behind in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports. The incident occurred during the fourth quarter of the Suns’ clinching victory. Beverley has since apologized on Twitter, stating, “@CP3 emotions got the best of me last night gang. My bad wasn’t meant for you. Congrats on making it to the Finals. Best of Luck.”

We have more on the Clippers:

With Kawhi Leonard dealing with an unknown knee injury and potentially opting out, and Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum headed to unrestricted free agency, the team faces an uncertain future after reaching the conference finals for the first time, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times writes. The expiring contracts of Beverley and Rajon Rondo could be used as trade chips, and the Clips could also explore trade options for Luke Kennard, whose didn’t play up to expectations after signing a four-year extension, Greif adds.
Batum isn’t sure what his future holds but he’s grateful to the organization for reviving his career after it went sour in Charlotte, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “Now look where I am right now, just incredible. It’s amazing to what happened to me this year,” he said. “I can’t thank enough the Clippers’ organization for giving me a chance to be a basketball player again. I wasn’t sure what I could do this year, and they give me a chance to be a player again.”
In case you missed it, Paul George believes the team would have made the Finals if Leonard was healthy. He’s also eager to recruit players for next season. Get the details here.

Suns Notes: Paul, NBA Finals, Booker, Williams

July 1st, 2021 at 9:07am CST by Arthur Hill

By leading the Suns to a berth in the NBA Finals Wednesday night, Chris Paul got rid of a lot of distinctions that he didn’t want, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Among players who had never reached the Finals, Paul had the most All-Star appearances and All-NBA selections, along with the most playoff starts and the most career points.

Those marks all belong to someone else now, as Paul scored 41 points and turned away the Clippers’ best comeback effort with a personal 8-0 run in the fourth quarter. The performance provided some vindication for the veteran guard, whose playoff history has been filled with untimely injuries and blown leads.

“There were questions about his production before tonight, and in my heart I felt like it was a matter of time,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “I didn’t know it was going to be like that, but that’s who Chris is. He was tired and he was still making those kinds of plays — getting to the basket, the 3s, orchestrating everything.”

There’s more on the Suns, who will be playing for a title for the first time since 1993:

Paul revealed that he had an MRI before the game that showed torn ligaments in his right hand. He also had to deal with a first-round shoulder injury and a bout with COVID-19 after the second round. “Just a week ago, I was here at home (under quarantine in Los Angeles). Couldn’t be there with my teammates,” he said. “It’s been a lot, and I want it not just for myself but for everybody in that locker room.”
Paul will have a contract decision to make after the Finals, and sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN that he’s leaning toward opting out of his $44MM salary for next season to seek a longer-term deal.
Devin Booker is among the many Suns players who have turned around their reputations with this playoff run, Windhorst adds. It took Booker six seasons to reach the postseason, but he has averaged 27.0 PPG and has earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, which he will join as soon as the Finals are over.
Suns players gave plenty of credit to Williams, who turned around a losing situation when he came to Phoenix two years ago, writes Joe Reedy of The Associated Press. Williams was passed over for Coach of the Year honors, but now he has something even better. “Monty coming in, building the culture, him leading us with the preparation meets opportunity. That was these moments right here, and we took it and we ran with it,” Booker said.

Southwest Notes: Paul, Melli, K. Grant, Grizzlies

June 28th, 2021 at 9:33pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With Suns point guard Chris Paul one game away from an NBA Finals appearance as of this writing, the Rockets‘ 2019 offseason trade of Paul has not aged well, writes Rahat Huq of the Houston Chronicle.

The deal sent Paul, two pick swaps and two future draft selections to the Thunder in exchange for Russell Westbrook, who lasted just one season in Houston before the team sent him to the Wizards for the oft-injured John Wall. Paul was sent to the Suns during the 2020 offseason.

Paul has been healthier during his two All-Star seasons following the deal than he was in Houston, Huq observes. The 2021 All-NBA Second-Teamer has appeared in 140 out of 144 possible regular season contests since being moved.

Huq opines that the fact that the Rockets, under the stewardship of then-team president Daryl Morey, felt compelled to trade picks to get off of Paul’s contract is especially frustrating now that Houston is in full rebuilding mode. At least the Rockets have the No. 2 selection in what looks to be an exciting 2021 draft.

Paul has a $44.2MM player option for the 2021/22 season, but it is anticipated that he may opt for a longer-term deal with more guaranteed years this summer.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

Free agent Mavericks big man Nicolò Melli is hoping to stick around in the NBA this summer, writes Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. Barkas writes that Melli may need to continue his career in Europe, where the 30-year-old vet last played during the 2018/19 season. He made his NBA debut with the Pelicans for the 2019/20 season. Melli was part of the deal that sent J.J. Redick to the Mavericks from New Orleans during the March trade deadline.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has indicated that assistant general manager Keith Grant, the club’s longtime salary cap expert, will remain with Dallas under new GM Nico Harrison, tweets Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.
After 2018 lottery picks Trae Young and Deandre Ayton stepped up to help the the Hawks and the Suns reach their respective conference finals this year, the Grizzlies should be encouraged that their young core, led by 2019 No. 2 pick Ja Morant and 2018 No. 4 selection Jaren Jackson Jr., can follow suit, writes Evan Barnes of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Provided Jackson can return to Memphis healthy, Barnes believes the club can progress deeper into the postseason soon.

Suns Notes: Paul, Ayton, Booker, Nader

June 27th, 2021 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Although Chris Paul has put together a Hall of Fame career, there’s one significant thing missing — he’s never been to the NBA Finals. The Suns are one victory away after defeating the Clippers Saturday night, and Paul’s teammates are determined to get him there, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“I’ve been a fan of his for a long time, and I’ve learned so much from him this year, and I always talk about off the court how he carries himself, and he’s just a true professional at every level at all times,” Devin Booker said. “I have a lot of respect for him as a man, not even as a basketball player, just understanding how bad he wants this and how much time he’s put into it … 16 years, that’s a long time.”

Paul has experienced a lot of playoff misfortune during his career, from numerous injuries to blown leads. The closest he came to playing for a title was in 2018 when the Rockets took a 3-2 advantage over the Warriors in the conference finals. Paul hurt his hamstring late in Game 5 and missed the rest of the series as Golden State rallied to win.

“Everything happens for a reason,” he said. “Don’t dwell on things, you always remember, but I’m here now, excited about this opportunity, and all I can worry about right now is Game 5.”

There’s more on the Suns:

Center Deandre Ayton has been outstanding throughout the playoffs and seems well positioned to get a max extension this offseason, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Ayton is averaging 20.3 points and 13.5 rebounds in the four games against the Clippers and contributed 19 points, 22 rebounds, four blocks and three assists Saturday night. He credits the addition of Paul with unlocking his full potential, tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic. “He was the best thing that happened to my career,” Ayton said.
Booker started wearing a mask after breaking his nose in Game 2, but he got rid of it in the third quarter Saturday night. He had a sub-par shooting game on Thursday, but told sportswriter Gina Mizell that the mask wasn’t the only reason (Twitter link). “I’m not blaming anything on the mask, but I haven’t played basketball with the mask ever in my life,” Booker said. “It takes some getting used to and, at that point in that time, I didn’t want it.”
Abdel Nader saw his first game action since March 21, playing 5:22 in Game 4. Nader, who had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in April and just received clearance to play, tweeted afterward about how good it felt to be back.

Suns Notes: Payne, Paul, Booker, Ayton

June 25th, 2021 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

After turning in a couple big performances in the first two games of the Western Conference Finals – both Suns wins – Cameron Payne was forced to leave Game 3 on Thursday after playing just four minutes. The veteran point guard suffered a sprained left ankle, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes.

With Payne unavailable, the Suns leaned heavily on Chris Paul, who logged 39 minutes in his first game back after clearing the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Head coach Monty Williams admitted after the game that he didn’t plan to play Paul so much and that he’s hopeful Payne will be available for Game 4 on Saturday to back up the team’s All-NBA point guard.

“Not having Cam to spell Chris put us in a bit of a bind,” Williams said, per McMenamin. “So hopefully (Payne) can come back and play in the next game.”

Here’s more on the Suns:

Paul, who spent eight days in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, said he got the bad news last week from Suns senior director of health and performance Brady Howe, according to McMenamin. “I was laying in bed with my kids and got a text from Brady,” Paul said. “It is what it is. I dealt with it. Anybody with kids, anytime you’re going through something, the hardest part is being away from your kids and your family. Once you get over the shock of what’s happening, to hell with how and why. You just start figuring out how you can get better.”
After breaking his nose in Game 2 of the Western Finals, Devin Booker received eight shots of a numbing agent and had his nose reset back into place prior to Game 3, says McMenamin. Booker had to wear a face mask in Game 3 and struggled mightily, making just 5-of-21 shots from the floor, but he said he wasn’t affected by the injury or the mask. “The nose feels fine,” Booker said. “We just lost the game.”
The Suns faced some criticism over the years for passing on Luka Doncic with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, but Deandre Ayton has developed into exactly what the team needed, according to Royce Young of ESPN. “He’s just turning into a really dominant player, on both ends of the floor,” Williams said of his center.

Chris Paul To Return For Game 3

June 24th, 2021 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

JUNE 24: Paul will be available for Game 3, the Suns officially announced today (Twitter link).

JUNE 23: Barring a setback prior to Thursday night, Suns point guard Chris Paul intends to return to action for Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals in Los Angeles, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

A report late on Tuesday night indicated that the Suns were optimistic that Paul – who has been in the NBA’s health and safety protocols since early last week after testing positive for COVID-19 – would be cleared for Game 3.

John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 noted earlier today (via Twitter) that Paul would have to go through a process that includes a mini-physical and cardiac screening for myocarditis before he received medical clearance. Haynes’ report suggests CP3 has taken that step. Sources tell Yahoo Sports that the point guard passed a cardio exam on Wednesday morning, which Haynes says was the final step to clear the protocols.

We’ll have to wait for an official update from the Suns to confirm Paul’s availability for Thursday, but for now it sounds like he’s trending toward a return.

While Phoenix is on the verge of getting its All-NBA star back, it remains to be seen when the Clippers’ All-NBA First Team forward, Kawhi Leonard, will return. Leonard has missed the team’s last four games due to a knee sprain.

The Suns are up 2-0 on L.A. in the best-of-seven series.

Pacific Notes: Ayton, Paul, Kings, Warriors

June 23rd, 2021 at 10:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

Suns center Deandre Ayton is playing in the Western Conference finals three years after being the first selection in the draft, but he tells Marc J. Spears of the Undefeated that most fans don’t see him as an elite player. Ayton had the highlight of his career Tuesday night when he dunked off an inbounds pass in the final second to give Phoenix a 2-0 series lead. It put him in the national spotlight after missing the playoffs during his first two NBA seasons.

“I still think they doubt me. I still think they don’t believe yet,” Ayton said. “I might be turning some heads with people that know basketball, like front-office types, and people that really know the game. I know I am probably stepping into the right direction. But I don’t think the world truly, truly sees that. But if I can win this whole thing, that is where I can get my reputation. That is where I can be a star.”

Although he has been effective since entering the league, Ayton has mostly been overshadowed — by Chris Paul and Devin Booker on the Suns and by Luka Doncic and Trae Young in his draft class. Ayton was suspended for 25 games during his second NBA season and has been criticized for a casual attitude, but he credits the arrival of coach Monty Williams and the success the team had after last year’s restart with turning that around.

“Winning was contagious and we added pieces like (Paul), Jae (Crowder), E’Twaun Moore, Langston Galloway and Torrey Craig,” Ayton said. “Those are guys who have been in the game and played at high levels like this. That is the best way I can think of how I turned my career into a positive one.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Suns have listed Paul as probable for Thursday’s Game 3, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times. Paul has missed the first two games of the series while in the league’s health and safety protocols, but he expects to receive clearance to play tomorrow.
The Kings need more help than the draft can provide, so they should be aggressive about trying to get Ben Simmons from the Sixers, contends Jason Jones of The Athletic. He suggests offering Buddy Hield or Marvin Bagley III along with the No. 9 pick.
The Warriors have two selections in this year’s lottery, and president of basketball operations Bob Myers won’t say if he plans to hold onto both of them, per Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports. Golden State already has one development project in center James Wiseman and may not have room for two rookies as it hopes to get back into title contention. “We’re not trying to develop players at the risk of losing,” Myers said. “We’re not going to develop and have it cost us games. That’s not the plan.”

Suns Hopeful Chris Paul Will Be Available For Game 3

June 22nd, 2021 at 11:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Chris Paul has missed the first two games of the Western Conference Semifinals after testing positive for COVID-19 last week, but there’s optimism within the Suns‘ organization that the veteran point guard could be available for Game 3 on Thursday, sources tell ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Adrian Wojnarowski.

Paul had only been isolated for six days as of Tuesday, and players who tested positive for the coronavirus during the regular season typically missed at least 10-14 days. However, ESPN’s duo notes that the NBA has different standards for players who have been vaccinated. Multiple reports have stated that CP3 has been vaccinated.

Despite his vaccination status, the expectation is that Paul will still need to test negative for the virus before being cleared. He hadn’t received clearance as of the start of Game 2 on Tuesday, per McMenamin and Wojnarowski.

The Suns haven’t really missed Paul in the first two games of the series, winning both contests in Phoenix as replacement point guard Cameron Payne averaged 20.0 PPG and 9.0 APG. However, as the series shifts to Los Angeles, the Suns would undoubtedly feel better about their chances of making the NBA Finals with their All-NBA point guard on the floor.

Middleton, Love, Holiday Expected To Play For U.S. Olympic Team

June 22nd, 2021 at 2:22pm CST by Luke Adams

2:22pm: Paul won’t play for Team USA after all, according to Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that the Suns point guard has declined an invitation to join the squad for the Tokyo games.

However, Bucks guard Jrue Holiday has committed to Team USA, per Wojnarowski (via Twitter). He’ll take the backcourt spot that CP3 would’ve occupied, leaving one open spot on the tentative roster.

11:39am: USA Basketball continues to secure commitments for the Tokyo Olympics, according to reports from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Bucks guard/forward Khris Middleton and Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love have committed to play for Team USA in Tokyo, their agents at Excel Basketball tell Wojnarowski. Meanwhile, sources inform Charania that Suns point guard Chris Paul plans to commit to the team as well.

The new series of additions means Team USA’s Olympic roster is now up to 11 tentative commitments, as follows:

Guards: Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, James Harden, Devin Booker, Paul
Forwards: Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Middleton
Bigs: Bam Adebayo, Draymond Green, Love

Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell turned down an invite from USA Basketball, opting to use the offseason for recovery and rehab following his right ankle injury, tweets Wojnarowski. After a few weeks of deliberation, Warriors star Stephen Curry has also decided not to represent Team USA in Tokyo, Charania notes (via Twitter). So neither Mitchell nor Curry will fill the 12th and final spot on the squad.

That 12th spot may be reserved for Paul George, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Before CP3’s commitment was reported, Vardon wrote that the Suns guard and the Clippers forward would be the favorites to get spots on Team USA if they’re willing to play.

Of course, the Suns and Clippers remain alive in the postseason, and at least one of them will be playing in the NBA Finals until at least mid-July. As Vardon relays, Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo said that Booker intends to play in Tokyo even if the Suns make it to the Finals and have to play a seven-game series. It’s unclear if Paul – and George, if he commits – will take a similar position.

Pacific Notes: Jones, CP3, Morris, Simmons

June 21st, 2021 at 9:23pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Suns general manager James Jones won his first NBA Executive of the Year award after just two years on the job. In a new piece, Gina Mizell of Suns.com details how Jones netted the honor.

As Mizell details, two years to the day before Jones won the award, he had his first draft as full-fledged team GM, selecting Cameron Johnson on June 20, 2019.

“[When] I was first drafted here, it was like, ‘Oh man, this team is terrible. I was a terrible pick. This team was destined for failure.’” Johnson reflected. “Then to get to this point now, going into the Western Conference Finals … (it) shows the trust and the faith and the confidence we have in one another.”

“He’s a big reason why we’re having the success, because of the team that he’s put together and the character of the players and the talent that he’s assembled,” head coach Monty Williams (a Jones hire) said of the man his NBA colleagues used to nickname “Champ.” “Just happy for him. He’s changed this thing in a short period of time.”

Among his more impactful moves for the 2020/21 season, Jones traded for All-Star point guard Chris Paul, signed starting power forward Jae Crowder, and traded for reserve swingman Torrey Craig. The Suns finished the abbreviated 2020/21 season with a 51-21 record, good for the second seed in the Western Conference.

There’s more out of the Pacific Division:

Though Suns point guard Chris Paul will miss at least the first two games of Phoenix’s Western Conference Finals matchup against the Clippers, the 11-time All-Star has managed to remain a vocal figure even from a distance, writes Mark Medina of USA Today. “We put him on FaceTime,” All-Star Suns shooting guard Devin Booker said. “We lean on him for a lot, and we know how disappointed he is and frustrated he couldn’t be out here for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, especially knowing his past history around this time. But we know we had him all the way through. We brought him in the locker room. We had him in our after-game huddle. So he’s proud of us.” Paul continues to grapple with the NBA’s coronavirus-related health and safety protocols and will miss Game 2 of the series on Tuesday.
Clippers forward Marcus Morris suffered a knee injury during the first half of the Clippers’ 120-114 Game 1 loss to the Suns on Sunday. Though Morris is not on the club’s official injury report ahead of Game 2 yet, L.A. coach Tyronn Lue said that he was unsure whether Morris would suit on Tuesday, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
After Sixers All-Star point guard Ben Simmons underwhelmed in his club’s seven-game second-round series loss to the Hawks, James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area wonders if the Kings should consider trying to trade for the All-Defensive First-Teamer. Ham notes that Simmons will not come cheap, as the 24-year-old just completed the first season of the five-year, maximum-salary extension he signed with the team in the 2019 offseason. Though Ham asserts that Sacramento would not part with young guards De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton, he thinks that Simmons, though not a perfect match due to his flaws as a shooter, could be worth a look.