Suns Expected to Shop Chris Paul During Offseason

Not even 24 hours following the Phoenix Suns' elimination at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, rumors are starting to swirl on what the Suns may do this upcoming offseason.

According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Phoenix is expected to "aggressively" shop Chris Paul this summer and it's "pretty likely" he will be playing for a different team next season.

Paul is coming off his worst statistical year scoring-wise, averaging 13.9 points to go along with 4.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists per night.

Throughout the year Paul did not look like himself shooting the ball a lot less than seasons prior and dealt with a plethora of injuries. After playing the first two games of their second-round battle against the Nuggets, Paul suffered a groin injury which sidelined him for the remainder of the series.

At 38-years-old, Paul still has two years left on his contract with a cap hit of around $30 million each year. For a player who seems to be regressing by the year and continues to struggle with injuries, this is a big financial commitment for the Suns to make.

However, Paul only has $15.8 million guaranteed in salary next season, which becomes fully guaranteed on June 28. 

Being that Phoenix has been bounced out of the second round in back to back seasons, changes need to be made and cutting ties with Paul may be a start.

When Paul was traded to the Valley in 2020, he changed the culture and helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals his very first year, where they ultimately lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. 

However, Phoenix is now in dire need of fresh young talent to surround Kevin Durant and Devin Booker and it just seems Paul does not properly fit the needs of this team.

Paul has certainly been very impactful for the Suns' organization, but it is time for both sides to go in a different direction.