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Oklahoma City Thunder send Chris Paul to Phoenix: Grading the Deal

The NBA trade season is underway with the Oklahoma City Thunder trading star guard Chris Paul to the Phoenix Suns. It was the first of many trades set to come as teams are on the clock to fill out their rosters.  ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news.

Wojnarowski then went on SportsCenter to talk about the transaction, breaking down some small details.

So how did each team fare overall in this deal? Let’s break it down.

Oklahoma City Thunder send Chris Paul to Phoenix: Grading the Deal

Phoenix Suns receive Chris Paul and Abdel Nader

For basically the first time since 2013, the Suns have something to cheer about. After spending the best part of a decade in the lottery, the Suns took a major step forward by acquiring a future Hall of Famer in Paul. Phoenix was the talk of the bubble, finishing 8-0 to be the only undefeated team at Disney. However, the Suns’ run wasn’t enough as they finished 10th in the Western Conference, missing the playoffs for the sixth straight year. Despite this, Phoenix was highly encouraged by the team’s performances and figured Paul is the missing link.

Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton appear destined for greatness and Paul is excellent for their development. Paul possesses one of the brightest minds to ever play in the NBA and will elevate Booker’s cerebral game. Paul’s overall offensive game is a considerable upgrade from Spanish guard Ricky Rubio. He averaged 17.6 points and 6.7 assists on 48.9 percent shooting, 36.5 percent from three, and 90.7 percent from the line. He is a terrific midrange shooter, a steady three-point shooter, and excellent at the line.

Even at 35-years-old, Paul is still able to pull plays like this.

Chris Paul comes with some concerns given his history. For a large part of his career, the 35-year-old has struggled to stay healthy but the 2019-20 season showed a health resurgence. He changed to a plant-based diet and it helped him stay on the court. It will be something to monitor closely with Phoenix hoping last season was an indication of things to come, not an aberration.

Abdel Nader is a 6’7″ small forward who can shoot the ball. He is an excellent shot maker and can create off the dribble. He was a late second-round draft pick in 2016 and isn’t shy taking open jumpers. Nader is another scoring threat from the outside.

Overall, this is an excellent move by James Jones and signals a move toward competitiveness. Paul is exactly what the Suns need and they kept their core group together.

Grade: A

Oklahoma City Thunder receive Kelly Oubre, Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2022 first-round pick

This is a tremendous haul for Oklahoma City who traded for Paul in the summer of 2019. The Thunder sent superstar Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for Paul, two future first-round picks, and two pick-swaps. Following this transaction, Oklahoma City has transformed Westbrook into three first-round picks, two pick swaps, and three young players.

General Manager Sam Presti is one of the best negotiators in all of basketball but what sets him apart is his willingness to work with his players. Paul was given permission to speak with potential suitors and return to the Thunder with his preferred destinations. As soon as Paul made contact, Presti was on the phone making the deal possible.

For Oklahoma City, the motivations are obvious – get younger and acquire future compensation. Kelly Oubre is a young 6’8″ forward who possesses high-level athleticism and cutting ability. The Thunder considered drafting him in 2015 but opted to take Cameron Payne instead. Oubre has played for three clubs in five seasons but he has the opportunity to solidify himself in OKC. Rubio is an intelligent floor general and an excellent fit alongside franchise star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He will be the team’s oldest player and needs to show leadership when he arrives.

Ty Jerome is a 6’5″ point guard selected with the 24th pick in the 2019 draft. He is a raw guard that needs some work but he received 10 minutes per game in 31 contests last season. Jalen Lecque is a 20-year-old undrafted player from the 2019 class. He was signed shorty after the draft and hasn’t been able to crack the rotation. Lecque is 6’4″ with a skillset similar to Westbrook so one wonders if OKC can recreate a similar player.

This deal though was all about the 2022 first-round pick. Shams Charania of The Athletic released details of the protections.

Should the Phoenix – Paul experiment go sour, it gives the Suns some additional protection. Still, a future pick is an asset and can be flipped in deals or used at a later date.

Oklahoma City Thunder Grade: A

This was a tremendous deal for both teams and a rare case where both teams benefit. It’s only day one of the trade season and it feels like a lot has happened. It will be interesting to see the coming moves by not only Oklahoma City and Phoenix but by the rest of the NBA.

 

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