Published 15:12 IST, November 25th 2019
NBA Trade Rumours: Nobody wants Chris Paul from OKC Thunder, claim league executives
Chris Paul was traded to Oklahoma City Thunder earlier this year, with Russell Westbrook going the other way. Paul still has two years left on his contract.
When Chris Paul and James Harden reportedly went two months without speaking to each other, the Rockets management knew Chris Paul’s time was up. Being a 9-time NBA All-Star, 8-time All-NBA selection, 9-time NBA All-Defensive Team member, 6-time NBA steals leader, 4-time NBA assists leader, former Rookie of the Year, and an NBA All-Star game MVP, Chris Paul has an illustrious record to back up his skills. His injury record, his age and his decreasing production, however, didn’t leave the former Rockets point guard with too many options.
With the Rockets eager to let go of Chris Paul, Oklahoma City Thunder came calling. Chris Paul, therefore made his way to Oklahoma, with Russell Westbrook going the other way. While the move has worked for both players since then, NBA executives are not surprised that Chris Paul is still wearing an Oklahoma City Thunder jersey after 15 games in the 2019-20 NBA season.
NBA Trade Rumours: No takers for a Chris Paul trade
According to reports, the NBA executives believe that since there is little to no market for Chris Paul, it is difficult to envision the nine-time NBA All-Star making a move to any other NBA team in the coming future. Chris Paul is already 34 years old with more than a reported $80 million and two more years left on his contract. As such, Chris Paul looks destined to play out the final days of his contract in the Oklahoma City Thunder blue, unless he convinces another team in the NBA to make a deal or agrees to some sort of a buyout arrangement, which is highly unlikely. Either way, Chris Paul’s move to OKC seems to be going well for both parties involved. With OKC, Chris Paul gets to play in the NBA without any major expectations, while the young players in OKC’s NBA roster get a mentor who is a nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team member and an NBA All-Star game MVP.
Updated 18:40 IST, November 25th 2019