Chris Paul is apparently ready to take care of his unfinished business in Los Angeles.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst said Paul would prefer to play next season in Los Angeles after being dealt by the Phoenix Suns and would currently lean more toward signing with the Clippers than the Lakers if he reaches a buyout with the Washington Wizards.
"It's possible that Chris Paul could be rerouted as part of this [Bradley Beal] trade, although I think Chris Paul's position really has been that if he's not going to be a Phoenix Sun this year, he'd like to play in Los Angeles with his family," Windhorst said Monday on Get Up. "And so, I think ultimately whether it's through a buyout or a different trade, I think we're going to see Chris Paul become a free agent in the coming days and then focus on the options in Los Angeles.
"Now, both the Lakers and Clippers have free-agent situations at their point guard spot, technically both jobs are open. And I know that this possibility since Chris Paul's name has been on the market the last few weeks that there's been kind of an assumption that the Lakers would be the choice. That's not what I am told. I am told the Clippers are a real opportunity there. There might be some mutual interest between Chris Paul and the Clippers if indeed he becomes a free agent by around July 1. So, keep an eye on that.
"Remember, Chris Paul played for the Clippers for many years. He left on good terms there, generally, because he worked with them on a trade. And I would not rule the Clippers out. In fact, based on my conversations, I would say the Clippers have an edge if indeed he becomes a free agent and if the Clippers and Lakers both try to get him."
Paul and Landry Shamet are set to be traded to the Wizards as part of a deal sending Beal to Phoenix, but the trade has not been finalized as Washington looks to potentially find a third team to take on the future Hall of Famer, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
If the Wizards are unable to find a taker, they'll almost certainly negotiate a buyout of Paul's $30.8 million salary and allow him to become a free agent.
Paul, 38, spent six seasons with the Clippers from 2011 to 2017, earning All-NBA honors and an All-Star selection in five of his six years with the franchise.
Acquired to take the Clippers franchise to previously unseen heights, Paul was instead the star of an era that saw the team consistently fall short of playoff expectations. The Clippers traded Paul to the Houston Rockets in the summer of 2017 in a mutual parting of ways that ultimately set the stage for the current era of Clippers basketball.
Choosing between the Lakers and Clippers would be something of a full-circle moment for Paul, who was famously traded to the Lakers in 2011 before then-commissioner David Stern vetoed the deal. Paul was then later traded to the Clippers in a fork-in-the-road moment for both franchises.
The Athletic's Jovan Buha reported the Lakers would have "strong interest" in adding Paul if he were to reach a buyout.
Twelve years later, this is a very different Paul and a far different situation for both franchises. The Lakers boast Paul's longtime friend LeBron James and Anthony Davis, along with an improved supporting cast that just made the Western Conference Finals. The Clippers have a pair of superstars in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, but they've not been able to find success in the postseason due to injury issues for the All-Stars.
Paul would be a missing piece and a strong fit in both situations. Should it come down to a free-agency decision, Paul's next destination will be determined by whether he wants to take the familiar path or forge a new road with James and the Lakers.
"trade" - Google News
June 19, 2023 at 08:48PM
https://ift.tt/hxyYw1r
Chris Paul Rumors: Clippers 'Have an Edge' on Lakers If Wizards Waive CP3 After Trade - Bleacher Report
"trade" - Google News
https://ift.tt/CIHrj6h
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar