The Phoenix Suns’ season has come to an embarrassing end for the second year in a row. It was hard to match the ugliness of their NBA playoff elimination in 2022 at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 in the second round on their homecourt, but Thursday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets certainly got close.
The Suns were not overly competitive in the game, playing with two key starters in point guard Chris Paul and center Deandre Ayton. Ayton was dealing with a deep rib contusion while Paul has been out since exiting in the third quarter of Game 2 with a groin injury.
Without Paul navigating the offense, all of the playmaking and scoring onus fell on Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Certainly talented enough to carry the load, they looked to eventually run out of gas by the end of the series.
Injuries in the postseason have become synonymous with Paul, who has had awful luck throughout his career. This was supposed to be his best chance to win a title as many thought of the Suns as favorites after acquiring Durant from the Brooklyn Nets.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Chris Paul & Phoenix Suns Updates
However, there is some more work that needs to be done with the roster. That could include moving on from Paul and finding a new point guard. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the Suns are expected to aggressively shop the veteran this offseason.
He made an appearance on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective to reveal the update. MacMahon described it as being “pretty likely” that Paul not only has played his last game with the Suns but that he will be traded before his June 28 guarantee date. His guaranteed salary would go from $15.8 million to $30.8 million if he’s not waived by that date.
Paul just turned 38 years old on May 6th and has two years remaining on his contract. However, the 2023-24 season is partially guaranteed while the 2024-25 season is non-guaranteed. That will make trading him a little easier because a team won’t have to commit major money to him; they can move on without much money being owed.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Chris Paul & Phoenix Suns Updates
Alas, finding a team that would have an interest in acquiring Paul won’t be easy. The market for injury-prone older point guards isn’t a robust one. It will likely take some assets being attached, which Phoenix is short on after trading four first-round picks to the Nets as part of the Durant deal, along with a 2028 pick swap.
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