via Last Word on Pro Basketball, By Matthew Cardenas (Associate Editor)
Major news today. The Houston Rockets will be getting point guard Chris Paul. He will opt-in to the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, and then be traded to the Rockets.
Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news on Wednesday Morning.
https://twitter.com/WojVerticalNBA/status/880088294700331008
Report: Chris Paul Opts in, Will Be Traded to Houston
Paul averaged 18.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game last season for the Los Angeles Clippers. However, his quest to reach the Conference Finals was cut short again. After losing Blake Griffin to injury, the Clippers lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Utah Jazz. Paul also struggled with injuries himself, as he missed 21 games in the regular season. But through all of that, he still proved he is one of the top players in the league and one of the best at the point guard position.
At this stage in his career, all that matters to Paul is winning. He has done almost everything there is to do except have a deep playoff run. But recently, there have been reports that Paul can be a difficult teammate to play with. If the reports are true, he needs to make sure him and his teammates are on the same page.
Looking forward, Paul will provide leadership as a playmaker and elite defender starting at point guard for Houston. Known for his leadership on the court, Paul will look to become one of the most prominent leaders for his new team, teaming with James Harden. The Rockets will need Paul to stay healthy and coexist with his teammates in order to compete for a championship in the 2017-18 season.
Paul is going into his 12th season in the league, during which he’ll be 32 years old. He has played for the New Orleans Hornets and Los Angeles Clippers after being drafted fourth overall by the Hornets in 2005.
Return
Patrick Beverly, 28, recently won the NBA Hustle Award. He averaged 9.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for Rockets last year. His PER was 13.0. Beverly averaged 30.7 minutes per game.
Sam Dekker, 23, averaged 6.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists for the Rockets. His PER was also 13.0. He averaged 18.4 minutes per game
Lou Williams, 30 averaged 17.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists for the Rockets and Lakers. He averaged 25 minutes a night and had a PER of 21.4.
Check out the LWOS 2017 NBA Free Agency Tracker for all of your NBA free agency coverage, and be sure to follow @LastWordHoops on Twitter to stay up-to-date with the latest NBA news.
Main Photo:
LOS ANGELES, USA – FEBRUARY 22: Chris Paul of LA Clippers reacts during NBA basketball game between Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Sunsat Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, United States on February 22, 2016. (Photo by Mintaha Neslihan Eroglu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
