4 Teams That Should Trade For Chris Paul

Chris Paul had a great redemption season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Prior to the season starting, Chris Paul’s value was at an all-time low. He was viewed to have one of the worst contracts in the league, earning $124 million dollars over the course of 3 years. This is a very expensive contract for a player who is 35 years old and expected to reach a massive decline in production soon.

Chris Paul was in trade rumors almost immediately after he was traded to the OKC Thunder. It was expected that in order to trade Chris Paul you would need to attach draft picks to incentivize teams to absorb his large salary. Now after Chris Paul’s magical season where he led the Thunder to the playoffs, his value is now at an all-time high. There are lots of teams around the league that have expressed interest in acquiring Chris Paul. They also would be willing to trade draft picks to do so.

It is inevitable that the Thunder trade Chris Paul this offseason. They have parted ways with head coach Billy Donovan, which could signal the start of a rebuild in Oklahoma City. Chris Paul also released a video shortly after being eliminated to the Houston Rockets. Some have speculated this is his farewell video to Oklahoma. The Thunder have young players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lugentz Dort to start their rebuild with. They also now have a trade asset in Chris Paul who is a sought out player among the league.

It is very likely that Chris Paul is traded this offseason. The real question is which team will acquire Chris Paul? Another question is what will the return be like for the Thunder? In this article we will be looking at potential trade destinations for Chris Paul. We will also view Chris Paul’s potential fit on teams among the league, as well as potential return pieces for the Thunder.

New York Knicks

With every player that enters trade rumors, the Knicks are somehow almost always linked. They’re a big market team who are always on the search to acquire big name players. Chris Paul is a player that the Knicks have already expressed interest in.

The Knicks recently hired Tom Thibodeau to be their head coach for the foreseeable future. Thibodeau is a coach who likes defensive minded players. He also is a coach who gets the most out of his veteran players. Chris Paul is one of the best defensive point guards in the league. If acquired by the Knicks, he would bring a defensive intensity that Thibodeau would be satisfied with.

Chris Paul also brings leadership to a young Knicks team. As of right now, New York lacks a leader for on and off the court. They have a very youthful roster that lacks leadership. The only leader the Knicks had was Marcus Morris, but he was dealt to the Clippers at the trade deadline. RJ Barrett could become the leader of the Knicks in the future, but as of right now it’s too soon. He’s only 20 years old and is already dealing with a massive amount of pressure. It’s difficult to be so young and playing in one of the NBA’s biggest markets.

Chris Paul shown this season that he can be a great leader on a young team without playoff expectations. He is one of the best leaders in the NBA and would quickly gain respect from his teammates.

RJ Barrett struggled in his rookie season. He had a lot of expectations going into the season that he could not reach. He was dealt with a lot of pressure to be the savior of the franchise. This just wasn’t the case. The Knicks threw him into a position that is almost impossible to navigate through as a rookie. Barrett has lots of potential, but the Knicks need to do a better job of developing him.

Chris Paul would help achieve this. We saw how much Chris Paul helped the development of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season. He was an amazing mentor for Shai and helped him reach a new level. He could have the same effect on Barrett if the Knicks acquire CP3. Paul could help develop RJ’s playmaking and passing I.Q, as well as his shot creation ability.

The Knicks are attempting to acquire Chris Paul in hopes that he can have the same effect on their franchise as he did to the Thunder organization this season. Chris Paul helped raise the ceiling of the Thunder and helped by making everyone around him better. The Knicks haven’t made the playoffs since 2013 and are desperately trying to return to the postseason. They are hoping that Chris Paul can help elevate this teams ceiling and lead them into the playoffs.

If the Knicks were to trade for Chris Paul, they would need to part ways with some of their young players. They would also need to give up draft picks as well. There is a report that the Knicks top priority this offseason is to trade Julius Randle. He would also be part in a potential Chris Paul trade to help balance the salaries.

Kevin Knox is another player who would most likely be involved in this trade. The Thunder are trying to acquire more young players for their rebuild. Kevin Knox’s value is at an all-time low right now. He was highly praised coming out of the 2018 draft. Knox was viewed as a player who could potentially be the steal of the draft. He showed flashes of greatness at college level and in Summer League but so far hasn’t shown promise at the NBA level. After 2 seasons, the Knicks seem to be ready to give up on Knox. The Thunder should look to acquire Kevin Knox. This is due to him only being 20 years old. He also needs a new change of scenery which could help him develop into a serviceable player with the Thunder.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks future is being heavily questioned after their 2nd round exit to the Miami Heat. The Bucks had the best record in the regular season. They ranked 1st in points per game and 1st in defensive rating. They lost to the Heat in embarrassing fashion by losing in 5 games.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a free agent in the 2021 offseason and the rumors of him leaving are heightened. The Bucks need to win the championship next season or else they will lose Giannis in free agency. Simple as that. The Bucks need to put it all on the table. They need to do whatever it takes to win the 2021 NBA championship. If they don’t, it could cost them Giannis Antetokounmpo.

So how do they go all in to win the championship next season? Acquire Chris Paul.

One of the biggest issues the Bucks faced against the Heat was shot creation from the perimeter. The Bucks didn’t have anyone who could create their own shot from the perimeter. Their half-court offence struggled. This is due to not having a reliable option of someone who could create their own perimeter shot in the half-court offence. Chris Paul would solve this problem. Chris Paul is one of the best mid-range shooters in the NBA. He can generate his own shot with ease.

He is also a great passer and playmaker that can create for others on the perimeter. The Bucks have good shooting and Paul could help at finding open shooters. Chris would also help be the lead playmaker and facilitator on the team that would help run the offence smoothly. Sometimes the Bucks offence can get stagnated with very little ball movement. He would help the offence run smoothly and raise their half-court scoring.

The Heat were able to slow down Giannis in the series so easily because he was the only player they needed to focus on. If the Bucks add an elite playmaker like Chris Paul, then the defense won’t be as focused on Giannis.

Middleton is a great player, but this series showed he’s not enough to help the Bucks. He isn’t good enough to be the second option on a championship team. Middleton would be an amazing 3rd option for the Bucks. If the Bucks acquire Chris Paul it could benefit Middleton. It could decrease his role to one he can thrive in more.

The Bucks also need another closer. Milwaukee struggled in the clutch in the postseason. They had a 1-4 record in clutch games. You could argue they might have been able to beat Miami if they would have been better in the clutch. Chris Paul was one of the best closers this season and one of the most clutch players in the NBA. He knows how to control the game in close situations at the end of the game. He led the Thunder to be the best 4th quarter team this season. If the Bucks need a perimeter shot in a clutch situation, Chris Paul would be a reliable option for them.

What would the Bucks have to give up to acquire Chris Paul? Eric Bledsoe is almost guaranteed to be involved in the deal, as he would help balance salaries. Bledsoe is also currently the starting point guard for the Bucks. If they acquired Chris Paul he would step into that role immediately. Eric Bledsoe is a disappointing playoff player who will likely get dealt in the offseason. The Bucks need a better starting point guard than Bledsoe, especially come playoff time.

Donte DiVincenzo could also draw interest from the Thunder. Donte is young and is a great defender. He would fit in great on a team filled with good young defenders such as Shai and Lu Dort. DiVincenzo is the Bucks most valuable young asset and could potentially help build an identity in Oklahoma.

The Bucks would also have to trade some of their depth to balance the cap. They would most likely have to part ways with Ersan Ilyasova, George Hill and DJ Wilson to make the trade work.

Milwaukee would lose lots of depth in this trade. Despite this, they would be gaining an elite point guard who can raise this teams ceiling to a championship team. If the Chris Paul in Milwaukee experiment works out, it could convince Giannis to stay in Milwaukee, which is their biggest priority as of right now.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets have one of the best young cores in the NBA. Nikola Jokic is debatably the best center in the league at the age of 25. Jamal Murray is 23 years old and is just starting to show his true potential. Michael Porter Jr is 22 years old and has showed flashes of greatness. They also have Bol Bol, a 7″2 mobile floor spacing player who is only 20 years old.

This team has a very bright future, but they are still a piece away from being true contenders. If the Nuggets want to get over the hump and start contending next season, they could explore trading for Chris Paul.

Denver’s system is built on ball movement and getting everyone involved. They ranked 4th in assists during the regular season. Chris Paul would perfectly fit in with this system. Chris Paul is an elite playmaker and one of the best passers in the league. He also knows how to share the ball and find shooters.

The Nuggets do already have a point guard in Jamal Murray but he can easily slide to the shooting guard position. He is listed at 6″5 and has the height to play the shooting guard position. Murray even played his rookie season at the shooting guard position. His play style is more fit to a shooting guard. He’s a score first guard who can play off ball.

The back court of Chris Paul and Jamal Murray could be an interesting experiment that has the potential to succeed. Chris Paul’s elite playmaking and great defensive play makes up for Murray’s playmaking and defensive weaknesses.

Chris Paul would also bring much needed experience to the Nuggets team. Paul Millsap will most likely leave the Nuggets in free agency, which will leave them without a veteran presence. CP3 would also bring in some much needed playoff experience. Chris Paul would bring great leadership and playoff experience to help a young team raise their ceiling.

Not to mention the duo of Nikola Jokic and Chris Paul. You pair one of the best passing big men of all time with one of the best passers of all time. Imagine the pick and roll of Chris Paul and Nikola Jokic. That could be one of the best pick and roll duos in the league. If the idea of a Chris Paul and Nikola Jokic pick and roll doesn’t make you drool, I don’t know what will.

Chris Paul could also help develop the young players on the roster. Maybe if you add Chris Paul to the Nuggets, he’ll hound Michael Porter Jr to actually play defense…

Anyways enough Michael Porter Jr slander. Let’s ask the question of what could a potential trade package look like for Chris Paul to the Nuggets? Gary Harris would most likely be involved in the deal. He makes $17.8 million dollars and would help the Nuggets absorb Paul’s large salary. He could also be a valuable asset to the Thunder. He’s a great defender who would fit great with Oklahoma. Harris has also showed scoring potential. He averaged 17.5 points per game during the 2017-2018 season. Harris could potentially put up similar numbers if given a bigger role for OKC.

The Nuggets would also have to trade Will Barton to make the salaries work. Barton could be a valuable piece for the Thunder. He was one of the most underrated players in the league this season and could bring a lot to the Thunder. He would be a good leader for the team and provide veteran leadership to a young team. His good shooting, defense and playmaking would be very valuable to the Thunder.

I could imagine the Thunder would target Bol Bol in a potential trade. He is a very intriguing and unique prospect with high potential. I highly doubt the Nuggets would trade away Bol, but if I’m the Thunder, I would pursue Bol in a trade.

The Nuggets would also most likely need to add draft picks for the Thunder to accept the trade. Denver would be fine giving up future draft picks since they have already established their young core and look to be a competitive team for the foreseeable future.

Phoenix Suns

During the bubble, the Suns were the most surprising team. They were invited to the bubble with hopes that they would capture the 8th seed in the Western Conference. Despite playing amazing and going 8-0, they still missed the playoffs.

Phoenix going 8-0 showed how close this team is to contending for the playoffs. The Suns haven’t made the playoffs since 2010 and after a long rebuild, they believe they are ready to return to the postseason.

Chris Paul would be the perfect player for the Suns to get. We saw that he can come in and immediately elevate a team’s production. He can most likely accomplish this with the Suns. He would bring veteranship and leadership to a younger team hungry for playoff success.

The Suns had a great and smooth offense with Ricky Rubio starting at point guard this season. However, Chris Paul would be an upgrade at that position. He’s better in the clutch, a better defender, better passer, better leader and better shooter. Upgrading at the point guard position would heavily benefit Phoenix and their success moving forward.

Another positive to acquiring Chris Paul would be how it effects Devin Booker. Booker is the face of the franchise and the team’s best player. He has played 5 seasons with the Suns and has yet to make the playoffs. He’s already expressed how desperately he wants to make the playoffs and the Suns should do everything in their power to satisfy Booker. Acquiring CP3 might be the piece that puts the Suns in the playoffs and keeps Booker content.

Acquiring Chris Paul would also help relieve pressure off of Booker. Booker is the leading scorer of the team and he takes a majority of the team’s shots. If the Suns get Chris Paul, that will be another scorer next to Booker. This could take some pressure off of him. It would also help add another aspect to Devin Booker’s game. Devin Booker is a great off ball player who excels in the catch and shoot. It doesn’t get showcased often because the ball is in his hands the majority of the time. If the Suns get Chris Paul, they can utilize Booker’s off ball abilities more.

Another player who benefits from this Chris Paul trade is Deandre Ayton. Ayton was the first overall pick in the 2018 draft. He has shown lots of promise, but still has lots of improving to do. This season, Rubio helped Deandre Ayton develop offensively. With Chris Paul on the Suns, he could help Ayton’s development even more.

Chris Paul is a great pick and roll player and would form a nice pick and roll duo with Ayton. Chris Paul would help Ayton take a scoring jump and be more aggressive. Ayton has struggled with aggression early on in his NBA career. With Chris Paul as your point guard, he will help you be more aggressive and pass to you in the right places. Chris Paul could also help boost Ayton’s confidence up. A result of this could be Ayton becoming a 20 point per game scorer.

In return for Chris Paul, the Thunder would most likely acquire Ricky Rubio. If the Suns trade for Chris Paul, Rubio’s services wouldn’t be as needed. He also will be making $16 million dollars next season and would be included in the trade to balance the salaries.

The main center piece of the trade would be Kelly Oubre. He’s coming off the best season of his career where he averaged 18.7 points per game. Oubre is also only 24 years of age. The reason the Suns would trade Oubre is they may not be sure of Kelly’s fit and future with the team. Oubre missed the NBA restart due to a knee injury. The Suns went 8-0 in the bubble and it showed that they can succeed without Oubre. It also showed that maybe he’s not the best fit on the team. Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges proved in the bubble that they can play in the starting lineup and be great fits.

Another reason the Suns are not sure if he is in their future plans is because of his contract situation. Next season is the last year on his contract and then he will be expecting a large contract. The Suns will most likely trade him this offseason while his value is still relatively high, and the Thunder may be very interested.

The Suns also hold the 10th pick in the 2020 draft which may be a good trade asset. If the Suns wish to complete the trade before the draft, the 10th overall pick would be a very enticing asset for the Thunder.

Conclusion

It’s no secret that the Thunder are looking to trade Chris Paul and go through a rebuild. Thanks to an incredible season, Chris Paul has raised his value and will be one of the biggest named players on the trade market this offseason. He will draw interest from many teams. Chris Paul will also gain interest from teams in different directions.

Young teams who are rebuilding and believe they are ready to be competitive will attempt to trade for Chris Paul. This could make them hopeful that he can elevate their team to new heights. Going into the 2019-2020 season the Thunder were viewed as a rebuilding team with a 0.2% chance of making the playoffs. Chris Paul led them to the playoffs and rebuilding teams are optimistic if they trade for him that he can have the same effect on their franchise.

Contending teams will also be interested in Chris Paul as the last piece needed to become true championship contenders. Chris Paul’s career is nearing an end and he still has yet to win a championship or even have a finals appearance. If he gets traded to a contender, he can contribute to a championship team and get the ring he deserves.