NBA Trade Rumors: Chris Paul expected to see out the season with the Oklahoma City Thunder
What's the rumor?
After months of inactivity, the NBA trade market is expected to pick up in the coming weeks, and Chris Paul is among the players that have been backed to secure a move to a contending team.
However, NBC Sports’ Tom Haberstroh is reporting that NBA executives believe the 34-year-old will see out the season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, mainly due to the size of his contract.
In case you didn't know...
After establishing himself as one of the NBA's best point guards during spells with New Orleans Hornets and the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul linked up with James Harden in 2017 as the Houston Rockets looked to secure a title.
However, after Houston failed to achieve its goal, Paul was sent to Oklahoma City during the 2019 offseason as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the Rockets.
CP3 has played 24 times for the Thunder, averaging 15.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game, and the veteran still has three more seasons on his huge contract.
The heart of the matter
While plenty of teams would love a player of Paul's caliber, the 9-time All-Star is signed to one of the NBA's worst deals - his salary will rise to $44 million for the 2021-22 season. Due to this, the Thunder will find it difficult to complete a trade ahead of the deadline, and the guard may be forced to see out the season in Oklahoma City.
What's next?
The Thunder will be back in action on Saturday night as they take on the Denver Nuggets.