The Rockets had hoped to find a third team to join the Russell Westbrook trade that was preferable to Chris Paul, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link). The Thunder have been in contact with Paul’s agent, Leon Rose.
The Heat remain a possibility for Paul’s services, Woj adds. If Paul prefers to go to Miami, the Thunder would have interest in sending him there and would engage in trade talks with Pat Riley‘s club, The Athletic’s Sam Amick tweets.
Miami was rumored to be in the hunt for Westbrook but now could turn to Paul as an alternate. The Thunder can immediately trade Paul as long as they don’t aggregate his salary in the deal (unlikely to happen with his $38.5MM figure). Oklahoma City could also hold off on finalizing the Westbrook trade and search for a suitor in order to make it a three-teamer.
It would be difficult to envision Miami giving up major assets for Paul. However, if the price is simply matching salary, then it would seem favorable to the Heat, as I recently detailed for SLAM Magazine. Miami is hard-capped, meaning team salary can’t exceed the tax apron of $138.93MM. The Heat currently have about $987K in wiggle room, per cap expert Albert Nahmad (Twitter link).
Paul has three seasons and $124MM left on his deal. The last year of the pact is a player option.
No thanks in Paul in Miami
Amen
CP3 to Da Knicks!!!
Chris Paul will go to the Pacers
Not likely. Pacers just gave up a pick to pickup Brogdon in RFA
CP3 to New Orleans
I don’t think your understanding of hard-capped is quite correct. The hard cap is a threshold, so the Heat can’t go over it. I doubt that they are right at it though, I’m sure they’re still several hundred thousand dollars away from it. So to say that can’t bring in a single dollar more than outgoing is incorrect!
One they finalize Herro’s deal they will be barely below the hard cap. He’s right they can’t take back any more money then they send out
Rxbrgr is right and we’ve updated the wording to reflect that — the Heat CAN technically take back slightly more salary than they send out in a trade, but by less than $1MM.
Practically speaking, there’s probably no way they take back even an extra $900K though, since if they do a 3-for-1 type trade, they’d need to leave enough space below the hard cap to fill out their roster.
Good point, they’ll need every dollar under it they can get.
Would think the Thunder would be interested in Dragic, Olynic, Winslow deal
Several options for OKC, all feasible / plausible.
Charlotte
Cleveland
Detroit
Miami
Dallas
Charlotte: no
Cleveland: no
Detroit: doubtful considering they weren’t in on Westbrook
Miami: might happen but it would be difficult
Dallas: doubtful in my opinion
Why would Dallas want him? Honestly Luca brings up the ball. Dallas needs another off ball player so Luca can create for them and KP
Those are just the teams that could swing a deal based upon salary matches, not logical trades.
Pretty sure we’ve seen Paul and Griffin experiment before
@stevep Cavs have Sexton and Garland…….and are 2 Chris Paul’s and a Giannis away from being a top contender. They would just be haulting the current rebuild and pushing off the next by 3 years and a lucky bounce of the lottery ping pong ball.
The Heat stink… what are they going to do with Chris Paul
I will tell you these mega contracts (max) are a bunch of baloney! How the league will sustain paying these players all that money and for what exactly???!!??
SMH
The league has the ability to afford these contracts because of the $24 billion dollars they got in 2016 from their TV deal. For what? The players. The NBA doesn’t get a lucrative deal like that if the league is filled with a bunch of bums.
The NBA is printing money right now and these players would get even more money in the open market like the one that you and I are free to look for jobs in. Of course some contracts will look lopsided in favor of the player like this Paul deal looks like but the league still manages to get by
Every team makes buckets of cash, plus constantly rising team values. Some players are overpaid, some are underpaid, that’s just how it goes.
The league doesn’t care, because the teams (collectively) pay the players (collectively) a fixed percentage (about 50%) of all the teams’ BRI (basketball related income). Not a penny more, not a penny less. If BRI goes down, so will all these salaries. If it goes up, they go up. The only issue with a player’s salary is that it affects the allocation among the players.
@leftyoriolefan The amount spent on nba salaries is a % of nba revenue. So no the owners or league won’t feel a thing.
CP3 will be lucky if the heat take him. Nobody is going to want to take on that salary without serious incentives.
dallas?
I like this fit. He plays at Mavs speed.
Maybe if he was the last piece to a championship but the guy is a cancer that nobody has ever thrived playing with or signed up to continue playing with. Says something when Westbrook is the more desirable playing partner of the two.
CP3 and Roberson for Dragic, Johnson and Winslow. Presti takes a chance on Winslow and can flip Dragic to Dallas for another pick lol. CP3 is a better fit with Butler than Russ anyway can roll out
CP3, Waiters, Butler, Roberson/Olynyk, Bam
Bench: Herro, Jones Jr. Leonard
The heat won’t want to give up good assets like Winslow for a 34 Chris Paul.
Winslow was only effective last year when Goran was hurt and he could essentially run point, he isn’t gonna thrive on a Butler led team who plays his position. It’s worth it to see if 2 years of CP3 with Butler can work for a 74 Pat Riley, before he could jus use his expiring contract as an asset in 2021 and find another star player
Dallas already said no to Dragic from Heat. They want youth not old vets
Dallas actually wanted Dragic, but realized they preferred Seth Curry.
I think we eventually see Dragic in Dallas, but not til next year on MLE
im surprised no one mentioned the Lakers. Paul has a solid 2 years of good play remaining before he becomes an average pg at best. The salary is ridiculous.
I don’t think it’s even possible for them to trade for Paul without including LeBron
It could happen at the deadline though, when you can include all these KCP&Danny Green’s short term contracts.
Financially it would take Green, KCP, Bradley, Cousins, McGee and Cook
Chris Paul, Clippers 2022 pick and Heat 2023 pick, for Dragic and James Johnson. Take it or leave it.
They’ll leave it, not really a tough decision either…
Leave it….we’ll eat salary to save draft picks.
Doesn’t work money wise. Heat cannot take in more than they give out.
I wonder if Heat could still chase Westbrook. He makes no sense in Houston.
Maybe at the deadline if things don’t work out in Houston with Harden but if Herro is a stud the Heat brass thinks he is, I think the Westbrook ship will have long sailed at that point. I also think the Heat have their eyes on CJ McCollum or Bradley Beal, whether thru trade or 2021 free agency
Neither of those guys are going to be avalible.
Maybe CP3 will give it a shot on OKC.
If he has a good year , his 2 years will be much easier to move next year than 3 years now.
I’m sure OKC fans wouldn’t mind one final 8 seed before diving into full rebuild.
Dragic, James Johnson, Myers Leonard for Chris Paul and a first round pick. Chris Paul replaces Dragic, Butler plays the 2 instead of the 3, Waiters comes off the bench as a scorer. Heat need to use Dragic over Waiters to open enough room to sign 2 minimum players under the hard cap to get to roster minimum. Ultimately, same outcome for OKC as it would have been…Otherwise, the Heat are good with converting Nunn/Maten into 2 way contracts, and resigning UD, and grabbing 1 more depth piece FA, and calling it for now.
To come close to matching, Thunder would need to include Roberson, whil4
To come close to matching, Thunder would need to include Roberson, while Heat included Adebayo.
We’re in the same situation as before with people not understanding the HEAT are HARD CAPPED and cant take back more money than they send out. Also, b/c they will need to use 3 contracts to match salaries, they will only have 12 players on the roster after a trade, and would have no ability to sign 2 minimum players, under the hard cap, to fill out their roster to 14, which is mandatory, without sending out more money than they take back
Cavs to the rescue.
– Heat: Paul and Zizic.
-Okc: Thompson, Smith, Clarkson, Olynyk, Waiters, Porter Jr, Okpala plus 2nd round picks. that’s $49 mil in expiring contracts. Cut Smith before deadline and save $10 mil this year.
-Cavs: Adams, Dragic, Roberson, Adebayo and draft pics from both teams. Cavs get a rim protector they can plug in now n Adams while Adebayo learns. Roberson improves our backcourt defensively off the bench. Dragic can play off of Sexton and Garland at either guard spot and be moved by trade deadline.
Presti showed he’s not trading HOF guards, even those with blemishes, without getting young assets or draft picks. Heat are not getting Paul for a bunch of undesirables. In this trade scenario Heat get Paul and should be about $7 mil under the hard cap (send out about $50 mil and take in about $41 mil). they can then bring in guys to reach 14 player roster minimum).
you’re welcome.
Wow, if Sam Presti can get something for CP3 and unload his contract, then they should name a front office award after him!
Wonder if the Mavericks could get in on this. Between Tim hardaway JR, Carlos Lee and a trade exemption they should be able to make it work money wise. OKC gets off a terrible contract, the Mavs absorb it awhile Luka is cheap and when Luka gets paid Paul should be coming off the books. Would give them a big 3 with a deep bench.
OKC would get off the terrible contract and maybe get a couple 2nd round picks out of it?
I would say that the Thunder need to include some picks or one of the 1st rounders to take on that salary.
But saying that, I don’t think most Mavs fans want Paul as he doesn’t have the best reputation and that kind of guy isn’t needed in the locker room.
Carlos Lee is Courtney’s Mexican cousin.
Who is Carlos Lee?
Heat get CP3
Hawks get James Johnson & Dragic
Thunder get Parsons & Crabbe & 2025 Heat 1st heavily protected.
Picks are the unknown. Hawks actually would benefit from the trade. Parsons & Crabbe are absolutely useless. And the Thunder would completely reset their cap figure. Adams would be the next to go. Maybe Adams for Gasol straight up. Adams for Biyombo & MKG – Charlotte isn’t attracting anyone.
Why in God’s name would OKC do that?
You think they want CP3 at 40M for a few years or out of their contracts all together?
they’re shedding so much salary after PG, Westbrook, Grant and probably Adams and Roberson. They still need to spend cap space and likely won’t be able to sign top FA. They might be willing to have Paul mentor SGA until they can find a suitable trade by trade deadline. Money is money. It has to be spent and if you have no intent in near future major signings then why not if you can collect assets in the meantime.
Russ/CP3 is a wash money-wise. They only saved about $5 million in the PG trade (Dallo and Shai make about $25 mill). OKC is still in tax paying territory. CP3, Adams, Schroeder, SGA, Dallo, Roberson, and Patterson has you over 115 million in salary already. OKC is still very much over the cap
And how do the Hawks walk away from that trade without an investigation.
seems like the hawks get something for nothing. I think they would give up a first and not the heat.
The Hawks are facilitating the expiring contracts. Heat are looking to dump Dragic and Johnson in any trade.
The Hawks benefit (as you say), but contribute nothing but useless (unneeded) contracts (as you say). So.. why not leave them out. Thunder get JJ and Dragic. ?
Both are expiring contracts. The only expiring deal is Dragic from the Heat.
Worst trade idea I’ve ever seen
Dragic, Adebayo, and James Johnson are a perfect salary fit.
Bam Adebayo would be a nice piece. Even nicer if OKC can find a taker for Steven Adams contract.
Johnson’s a nice player on a decent deal ($10mil) for two more years.
Dragic would be bought out or flipped. Somebody else might see value in his expiring deal. Or the Thunder could save a ton by getting under the tax line by just eating some cash to buy him out.
I’ve got a feeling the Heat are going to want to give Winslow rather than Adebayo, though. That makes the math a little less straightforward.
Winslow, Dragic, and Waiters
For
CP3 and Patrick Patterson
Heat will not be trading Winslow Herro or Bam for Chris Paul. Think more of a deal built around Dragic, and maybe Olynyk and James Johnson and maybe Derrick Jones Jr. However, I could see Miami being okay with a Winslow, Waiters and Dragic package for Chris Paul and the 2023 pick coming back to Miami. This would allow Herro to start at SG if they decide to roll with this current squad and gives Miami an asset to include for a star like Bradley Beal next offseason if it comes to that point. Think the 2023 pick, Bam, Herro and whoever they draft 2020 and salary fillers for Beal.
Can’t work. CP3 was just acquired and cannot be traded with another player. The only way he can be traded is by himself.
That’s not technically true. The Thunder just can’t aggregate his salary with another player’s for matching purposes right away.
In that hypothetical example, Paul’s salary on his own is enough to match the Heat trio’s, so it technically could work. It would just be sort of structured like two separate deals, with OKC creating a trade exception worth Patterson’s salary.
“However, if the price is simply matching salary…” How will the Heat go about that without including Butler? I’ll check Spotrac, but it sounds easier said than done.
See above
Same quote, but I’m wondering why OKC would even do a deal then…? Unless Miami has expiring contracts that equal CP3s salary, OKC would be better off holding on to him until someone is willing to give them ‘something.’
I think he stays plays out the contract and competes. Paul, gallo, adams, and a rising star or two. Is still a respectable team for the next 2 years. Honestly that is OKC best option as they literally cant give away Chris Paul at this point!
Lol Rockets just dropped in the conference.
What are the chances Chris Paul would opt out of the final year of his deal in 2021, if his new team has his bird rights, and is willing to sign him on a much lower AAV type of deal for multiple years, as a guy that shifts towards a bench role? This is assuming that team has a chance to add 1-2 pieces in 2021 FA, which will be crazy. Chris Paul has given up money previously. Maybe he would do it again. probably doesnt matter right now, and its obviously much more likely he wouldnt opt out, but I’m just saying the possibility is there. That could make it more worthwhile for someone, including Miami
Paul is the last player I want on the Heat at this point. I want Miami to preserve it’s cap space for 2021 when we can get Beal or McCollum… Paul is done as an elite player in this league. At this point, I’d offer Washington a package of Herro, Bam, Winslow, Derrick Jones Jr. and Dragic for Beal and Mahinmi and see if they’d accept that.
Again, you keep missing the money going out/coming back in issue…
in 2021, those arent the only available players. Kawhi, Giannis, Paul George, Beal, etc are all FAs…Anthony Davis is a FA next year as well,. If the Lakers mess up, he could easily leave. I could also see him sign a 1 + 1 deal after this year, and make it an even crazier FA market in 2021
One thing they could do theoretically, is trade for Chris Paul, and use the draft pick that comes back in a deal for Beal, using their young players, and salary matching as well.
Dragic’s expiring, James Johnson, Meyers Leonard’s expiring for Chris Paul and a pick
then
Herro, Derrick Jones, Kelly Olynyk and Dion Waiters, plus the draft pick that comes back and 1 more pick (unless the Heat can get 2 extra picks to play with by exchanging picks with OKC, and giving them the chance to offer up even year picks instead of only having access to 2025, which would leave them 3 picks to trade for Beal), plus rights to swap for only 2 years of Beal. Heat keep Bam and Winslow, mostly b/c they dont have anyone else at their positions. Other teams can offer more, OKC obviously being one of them, but in a scenario where for some reason, Beal was forcing himself to the Heat, which is what I think you’re saying, that offer is along the lines of what it would take
Heat sign 5 guys at the minimum and it all fits under the hard cap.
But again, as I’ve said, there is no reason to give up all of the young pieces to build a veteran team with no flexibility, so that is the only way something like that happens. Otherwise, its wait it out, like we were going to anyway, and be available for opportunistic situations, like they almost had for Westbrook, until OKC lost their minds in their trade proposals
@formerlyz Isn’t Paul a player rep? i don’t think he would walk away from $40+ mil. think it would be a bad example for players to leave money on the table unless it’s a buyout of sorts. but for zippo? eh eh.
not for nothing…for a smaller multi year contract to lower his cap hold, and bring in a FA
but you’re probably right about not wanting to set some sort of precedent, although he already got the contract, which is the part that matters in that regard anyway. If he were to decide he wanted to stay where he is, and they wanted to offer multiple years for him to do that, while also giving him a stronger chance to win by bringing in a FA, I could see him doing that..
Probably not something worth speculating about though, considering its 2 years away
link to espn.com -3wins Magic with Paul and Thunder +4wins with Fultz,Fourier,Issac. Yes Rockets get nothing but if 3 way get Westbrook.
Aside from Paul for a second. Wouldn’t a Dragic + Okpala (a 2nd round pick) for JR Smith just make sense? Cut Smith before his extended deadline. Stretch out his $4 mil guaranteed and Heat create $15 mil in capspace. $19 mil of Dragic for Smith’s $4 mil guaranteed salary.
Only for the Cavs. Miami loses their PG and a gives up a guy they just gave up 3 2nds for, and get – nothing. No real cap space and what would they use it for in any event at this point. Heat are trying to win.
I see your point. makes sense if they get Paul without using Dragic tho.
As a Timberwolves fan incould be a good trade for both sides Teague Dieng Wiggins Sixers secon round pick for CP3 and Steve Adams fresh start for both sides and could be a good deal
I was a big proponent of a Westbrook to Minny deal for Wiggins. I don’t see any reason why Paul couldn’t be subbed.
But CP3 cannot be aggregated with another player or pick in a deal for at least 6 months, so Adams couldn’t be included in a deal with him.
So it would have to be Dieng and Wiggins for Paul with the rest left out.
Another one that works on paper is a 3 way with Orlando and Minnesota.
Wolves get
Chris Paul
Magic get
Jeff Teague
Gorgui Dieng
Thunder get
Andrew Wiggins
Markelle Fultz
Jonathan Isaac
I think that is the best way to go for OKC, but Minny might not want to give up that much for Paul instead of Westbrook.
Love it. Hopefully CP3 gets stuck in Oklahoma City. Just another crybaby not happy and forcing his way out. Spend a winter in OKC playing for a a rebuilding team in front of no crowd which is what they will have with this rebuild in 10 degree weather. How did that work out for you Prima Donna?
OKC will LOVE Chris Paul. Chris Paul, along with Hurricane Katrina, is one of the biggest reasons that Oklahoma City even has an NBA franchise. The year after the hurricane when the Hornets played in OKC, Paul was beloved.
Plus, you really need to familiarize yourself with the geography of Oklahoma City. Oklahoma is not in New England. They do not usually get 10 degree days in the winter.
Plus they have like 355 straight sellouts, it says elsewhere on HR.
I grew up in Kansas. You need to familiarize yourself. Been to OKC several times. The cold and WIND is brutal. They won’t have 3.5 sellouts once this team takes the court. Also if CP3 is such a great guy why did he want out of the last 3 places he has played for? No hate here just the FACTS.
According to the Weather Channel, Oklahoma City averages 2 days a year of 10 degree weather. And once a decade does the weather go down to zero. In addition, wind is not usually a big deal for an indoor sport.
How’s that for FACTS?
Those are niether facts nor even examples of facts. Okay it can get windy there but I think they can all handle it and be happy with the only major game in town.
Ummmm.. what did Paul do to warrant this hate?
Let’s see… Paul’s upset with the way Harden plays ISO. Paul is mad that D’Antonio allowed him to do it. Paul might be a harsh pr*ck but what he wants is ball movement. Allowing other players to get in the offense. Unlike Westbrook, Paul is a pass first point guard. One of the greatest distributors in the last 20 years. He’s not a ball hog and he plays the position the right way. What’s his crime? Accepting a max contract? Hows be a prima Donna? i mean… don’t we call those “get in your face and demand your teammates play the right way ” guys “scrappy”? Aren’t “scrappy” guys in basketball that? Hockey? If he were…..ummm…. Stockton or Nash wouldn’t we be praising him for being a throwback “fiery and passionate floor general”??? Since when is being overpaid but do your job a crime to warrant this narrative? Do ppl even get why he rubs certain teammates the wrong way? Whos he bad beef with? Harden and Blake Griffin. Cmon….
Suns should have waited on rubio and got cp3
OK you’re obviously a phoenix fan so I will try to be as gentle as I Canby Phoenix well there is no way to be gentle they suck. Chris Paul is going to have a huge say in where he goes pretty much meaning he will dictate where he goes and he wants to go to a contender I think he would rather jump off the Golden Gate bridge then play for the Phoenix Suns and I don’t blame him
Wolves would be a good place for CP3 considering they have picks and the contracts of Teague, Wiggins, and Dieng that they desperately want to move. It wouldnt be a bad idea if OKC took a flier on Wiggins considering their rebuild.
It’s a little bit ironic that the President of the NBPA conveniently created team crippling Max contracts and is now the victim of the obvious result of taking one.
yeah he’s really a “victim”. he’s getting $40 mil + a year. the reason he isn’t in Houston has nothing to do with his salary as he and Harden weren’t getting along.
I just want to hear the interview Terry Rozier gives after Paul is traded to Charlotte and handed the starting PG spot.
So many people think it is a slam dunk Paul is going to Charlotte there is no way he wants to go there and the front office of Oklahoma City have already said they have been in contact with Chris Paul and his agent and they are going to work with both of them on a strategy which means they are pretty much saying “Chris Paul will have a huge say in where he goes“. He is going to want to go to a team that he feels is in the mix for a title so we can illuminate the clippers because he can’t stand that front office basically it looks like it could come down to the Lakers, Miami Heat outside of that I don’t see any options.
OKC owes him nothing. They will take what they can get from him but hope he is helpful in the meantime.
CP3 could retire in OKC … maybe become a coach ? help SGA ? I don’t see a lot of options for OKC unless they attatch atleast one #1 and or adams maybe?
one of the few trades that may make sense
Cha – CP3 , Roberson, Patterson
Okc – Batum , Williams , Zeller
OKC could then look to trade adams for a #1 and move Zeller to starter. Char gets a Jordan brand guy and get rids of Batum.
Chris Paul is a very good player , sadly though he always gets injured especially around playoff time . If Paul stays with the thunder they are a playoff team they still got Adams and gallinari ,and shai , I’m not saying championship team but they could get a 6-8 seed . Teams that could be interested . The wolves ? For Teague Wiggins or dieng? Not sure it makes the wolves that much better in the western conference. Dallas ? Don’t think hardway , lee , and picks will get it done. Spurs ? They have young point guards don’t think they would want him . Knicks ? Not sure on that one , which to me leaves the heat . They have some contracts they certainly could trade for him . But considering how this off season is going anything could happen
I’m sorry did you say the thunder is a playoff team? Obviously you are a thunder fan they are rebuilding what that means is they are not a playoff team even with Chris Paul and everyone knows Chris Paul will not even play one game in a thunder uniform. This is why they have stockpiled now eat first round picks they know they are not a playoff team and I think the front office would know more than you.
They made trades because they knew they were not a championship team. Playoff team status has not been a point. It will be opening day, with 6 solid players I can think of. Just need another forward.
CP3 deserves to be banished to oil-Beria. He is like melo at this point…over weight…inflated opinion of himself…and a malcontent.
Everyone is forgetting something the way Oklahoma City is working this they are working with Chris Paul and his agent what that means is they will trade him where he wants to go so people mentioning Detroit, Charlotte, Cleveland and Indiana you can all forget those dreams of getting him I would even doubt the Knicks. Miami I could see him wanting to go there that could work I could even see him wanting to go to the Lakers being he is best friends with LeBron James outside of those two teams it is anyone’s guess.