Chris Paul will be on a new NBA team at the start of the season. According to ESPN, the Phoenix Suns are finalizing a deal to land the All-Star guard from the Oklahoma City Thunder. The blockbuster trade will send Paul and Abel Nader to the Suns for Kelly Oubre Jr., Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2020 first-round pick.
Paul, 35, is joining his fifth NBA team since entering the NBA in 2005. Last year, Paul recorded 18.5 points and 9.5 assists in 70 games for the Thunder. Paul hasn’t won an NBA title, but landing on the Suns with All-Star guard Devin Booker, could make things interesting in the Western Conference. Last week, Paul appeared on The Tonight Show and talked to Jimmy Fallon about possibly being traded.
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“Man, I’m going into year 16, right? So I’ve heard about every rumor that you could possibly hear,” Paul said as reported by USA Today. “So you learn to control what you can control. I’m training, getting ready for the season. If something happens, it will. If not, you know, I love being in Oklahoma with our team. We actually just got a new coach yesterday. So, you know, the league is always constantly changing.”
The Suns are looking for a much-needed boost as they haven’t reached the playoffs in 10 years. The Suns finished this past season with a 34-39 record and 10th place in the Western Conference. Booker was the bright spot for the Suns, averaging 26.6 points and 6.5 assists per contest.
“I’d say just efficiency. You know, playing within the system. Trying to find the fine balance between being aggressive and at the same time playmaking for my teammates,” Booker said to Uproxx back in April when talking about where his game improved. “It’s a lot. My goal is for my reputation to be a winner, so it’s been a process for me to do for five years now. But I’m enjoying it and having fun with it and getting better every day.” Booker can learn a lot from Paul, who’s on his way to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. The Wake Forest alum is a 10-time NBA All-Star, nine-time selection to the All-NBA team and has led the league in steams six times.
