Suns add All-Star Chris Paul to pair with Devin Booker
Chris Paul holds a $44 million option for the 202122 season, a massive payday that may have kept some teams from trying to trade for the All-Star point guard.
T he Pho en i x Su n s weren’t deterred.
They have a pair of AllStars in their backcourt now, with hopes the duo of Paul and Devin Booker — one of the league’s most dynamic young scorers — will be enough to get the franchise back to the postseason for the first time since 2010.
The trade sending Paul to the Suns from Oklahoma City was completed Monday night, a blockbuster to start what could be a wild few days of NBA transactions before training camps begin next month.
The particulars: The Suns get Paul and forward Abdel Nader, while the Thunder get Kelly Oubre Jr., Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a protected 2022 first-round pick.
“We are excited to welcome Chris Paul and Abdel Nader to Phoenix,” Suns general manager James Jones said. “Chris’ leadership and competitive approach to the game will have an immeasurable impact on our team. Abdel possesses all the traits on and off the court that will complement our culture.”
It is a huge leap for the Suns, who went 8- 0 inside the NBA’s restart bubble at Walt Disney World in a frantic, but futile, quest to make the playoffs. Paul is owed about $41 million for this season and has that player option for next season, but the Suns obviously felt that is money worth spending.
C ombi ne d , he a nd Booker will make around $140 million in the next two seasons alone.
It’s the second trade that the Thunder agreed to in a span of two days, the first coming Sunday when they agreed to send Dennis Schroder to the Los Angeles Lakers for Danny Green and the 28th pick in Wednesday’s draft. That trade, along with the Paul trade, could give the Thunder as many as 17 firstround picks in the next seven drafts.
HARDEN DECLINES RECORD EXTENSION, WANTS TRADE TO NETS >> Coach Mike D’Antoni and general manager Daryl Morey departed the Houston Rockets after last season. Star guard James Harden might be the next one out the door.
Harden declined Houston’s offer of a contract that would pay him an NBA-record $50 million per season, and he instead is looking to engineer a trade that would send him to the Brooklyn Nets, ESPN reported.
Per the report, Harden turned down an extension for two years and $103 million beyond the existing three years and $133 million on his contract. He is reportedly in contact with Nets forward Kevin Durant and guard Kyrie Irving in hopes of forming a Big Three in Brooklyn. MAVS’ PORZINGIS TO MISS START OF SEASON AFTER KNEE SURGERY >> Kristaps Porzingis will miss the start of the season as the Dallas Mavericks star continues recovery from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.
President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said in a radio interview the club was being cautious with Luka Doncic’s European sidekick, who missed more than a season because of another knee injury earlier in his career.
Porzingis injured his right knee in the opener of a firstround series against the Los Angeles Clippers in the bubble in August.