Suns are shining with Paul trade
NEW YORK • The long-awaited reopening of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) trade market on Monday delivered an immediate blockbuster that will send Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul to the Phoenix Suns to join Devin Booker in what has the look of a dynamic backcourt.
Oklahoma City will receive Kelly Oubre Jr, 24, and Ricky Rubio, 30, from the Suns as the headliners of a package for Paul that includes a 2022 first-round draft pick and Phoenix reserves Ty Jerome and Jalen Lecque.
The deal came together in the first hour after the NBA permitted trades for the first time in more than nine months.
On Sunday, the rebuilding Thunder struck a verbal agreement to trade guard Dennis Schroder to the Los Angeles Lakers, according to sources.
Oklahoma City will also acquire Danny Green and the No. 28 pick in today’s NBA Draft for Schroder, meaning that once the trades are made official, Thunder general manager Sam Presti will have amassed 16 first-round picks over the next seven NBA drafts till 2026.
“Chris has been the consummate leader and has left a tremendous legacy in a short period of time,” Presti said in a statement on Monday announcing the trade.
Rubio, fresh off helping the Suns – the only unbeaten team in the regular-season “bubble” – to a 8-0 winning run, appeared to react to the trade with some exasperation, tweeting: “…What a business”, followed by an upside-down happy face emoji.
However, the Suns were thrilled, with general manager James Jones saying: “Chris’ leadership and competitive approach to the game will have an immeasurable impact.”
The Thunder were one of last season’s overachievers after acquiring Paul in a trade with the Houston Rockets that netted two of those 16 future first-round picks, as well as the right to swop first-round picks with the Rockets in 2021 and 2025.
Yet it quickly became apparent, after the Thunder lost a first-round play-off series to Houston in seven games, that Presti was poised to commission a rebuild.
Coach Billy Donovan left the Thunder in September instead of trying to hash out a contract extension, to become the coach of the Chicago Bulls.
More recently, Presti told Paul, 35, and his representatives that they could try to find a trade partner that would appeal to the guard, according to sources.
Paul averaged 17.6 points and 6.7 assists per game last season in earning his 10th trip to the NBA All-Star Game.
The former Clippers star, who has two seasons and roughly US$85 million (S$114.2 million) left on his contract, wanted to remain in the Western Conference to be near his family, who stayed in Los Angeles last season while he played in Oklahoma City.
Paul is also said to have a strong relationship with Phoenix coach Monty Williams after playing for him for a season in New Orleans.
In addition to reuniting with Williams, Paul will now team up with the Suns’ young cornerstone duo of Booker and Deandre Ayton to try to restore Phoenix to Western Conference relevance.
The Suns have missed the play-offs for 10 straight seasons, the second-longest active drought behind the Sacramento Kings (14), but their displays in Disney World highlighted the team’s untapped potential.
REUTERS, NYTIMES