NBA Trade Rumors: Former Houston Rockets coach wants Chris Paul to stay with OKC Thunder
Just a year ago, Chris Paul was considered to be a liability on an utterly expensive contract. He moved to OKC Thunder as part of the Russell Westbrook trade and the rest, as they say, is history. CP3 recorded an All-Star selection and led the Thunder to the fifth seed in the West. The narrative has now changed and NBA trade rumors suggest that several teams are lining up for the veteran.
With OKC Thunder expected to enter a rebuild in the upcoming offseason, Chris Paul may be headed elsewhere. But Jeff Van Gundy believes that he should stay put.
NBA Trade Rumors: Jeff Van Gundy wants Chris Paul to extend stay with OKC Thunder
Jeff Van Gundy's last coaching stint in the NBA came with the Houston Rockets more than a decade ago. He's been a regular feature on ESPN's NBA broadcasts for over 12 years now. Speaking to Brandon Robinson on an episode of Heavy Live with Scoop B, Van Gundy claimed that Chris Paul should stay with OKC Thunder. He said:
"I like Chris Paul right where he is. I thought he had a huge impact in Oklahoma City. I thought they had a great season and so did Chris Paul...I think if Chris Paul is happy there and he doesn’t mind going through some you know, changes in coaches and probably changes in teammates. He’s such a great leader and steadying force that he could be a huge benefit wherever he’s at but, in Oklahoma City I just thought that he had a phenomenal year."
It'll be interesting to see what route Thunder GM Sam Presti takes with regards to Chris Paul. They're likely to get a few offers based on recent NBA trade rumors.
Besides the fact that CP3 was the most clutch player in the NBA last season, he'll be the best possible mentor for the young core of players that OKC Thunder will be grooming over the next couple of years. Whether that's worth the $80 million-odd that Paul is owed is something that the OKC Thunder front office needs to decide.
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