Chris Paul has yet to find his best trade destination, despite the blockbuster deal which switched the 34-year-old guard for Russell Westbrook. Despite all of the negative factors for Chris Paul in his current state, he is still a solid point guard when healthy.
A once sought after commodity in the NBA, Chris Paul is now a player whose services aren’t necessarily top priority across the league. He turned 34 last May and is entering the second year of a four-year $160 million contract.
The Best Trade Destination for Chris Paul
Chris Paul’s Contract
Chris Paul’s current contract sees an unfortunate team paying the aging point guard $44 million in the final season of said contract. Paul will be 37 in the contract’s last year.
The most worrisome aspect of the deal is the 34-year-old point guard’s durability, reflective of the 61, 58, and 58 games played respectively over the past three seasons. The injury numbers don’t count the costly hamstring injury of the 2018 Western Conference Finals. Paul averaged career-lows in points (15.6 points per game) and field goal percentage (41.9 percent) last season. Chris Paul’s best trade destination is going to be challenging to find all things considered.
The Thunder want Paul’s massive salary off of their books so they can allow young guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to steer the ship. Logically, the Miami Heat seem to be the best landing spot for Paul in a trade. Miami recently signed Jimmy Butler to a four-year $140 million contract, pulling off a sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers. Now that the Heat has shown that they want to start building a contender in the post-big-three era, they need to acquire another marquee player.
A Potential Landing Spot
Chris Paul’s best trade destination is the Heat due to its need for a great point guard. The Heat’s current starter, Goran Dragic, only played 36 games last year due to a knee issue and put up averages of 13.7 points per game, 4.8 assists per game, and shot 41.3 percent from the floor. Paul is certainly better in all three categories, even in his down year last year. Paul is also a great defender, being a niner-time All-Defensive selection. To succeed in the NBA, you have to have a great point guard. Similar to a quarterback in the NFL, the point guard is the leader of the offense and has to make plays for himself as well as for others. The Heat have shown that they are in win-now mode, and that is why Paul to the Heat would be a perfect fit.
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