It’s the summer of traveling for Chris Paul.
Paul, 38, was traded to the Wizards on Sunday from Phoenix but ESPN’s Brian Windhorst believes the point guard will land in LA before the start of the season.
“I think Chris Paul was happy to play with the Phoenix Suns this year, but if he wasn’t going to play in Phoenix, he would prefer to be with his family in LA as he nears the end of his career,” Windhorst said on Monday’s “Get Up.”
This would mean either slotting in on the Lakers or reuniting with the Clippers.
Paul was with the Clippers from 2011-17 before heading to Houston for two years, Oklahoma City for one and landed with the Suns in 2020.
Even though Paul has inched towards the ultimate goal –– he appeared in his first NBA Finals with Phoenix in 2020-21 –– the 12-time All-Star is still chasing a championship while his career’s curtain call is chasing him.
It looked like the Suns were going to waive Paul in early June, but instead are finalizing his trade for the final piece of their Big 3.
Along with Jordan Goodwin and Isiah Todd in the bundle, Phoenix now has Beal to pair with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
The Suns had a June 28 deadline to sort things out with Paul before his 2023-2024 $30.8 million salary became the team’s responsibility.
“Even though he’s close with LeBron James and the Lakers potentially have an open job at starting point guard, I think the Clippers –– based on what I can glean –– are the team that may be the better fit for him,” Windhorst said.
The Clippers may have something in mind regarding Paul, as well.
According to Windhorst’s cohort Adrian Wojnarowski, the Clippers “see a world potentially where it’s Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul together… if, of course, Chris Paul becomes free. I don’t see a scenario necessarily where the Clippers are going to be the team that trades for Chris Paul right now.”
In the 2022 season with the Suns, Paul averaged 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists.