The NBA’s over-38 rule will give the Suns an advantage over the Knicks if they get into a bidding war for Chris Paul, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Berman cites a report from ESPN’s Bobby Marks that says Phoenix will be able to offer the 36-year-old a four-year contract if he opts out this summer, while other teams are limited to three years because of the age provision.
Marks expects the Suns to make a three-year, $100MM offer to the veteran point guard, who has them headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993. If the Knicks try to match it, Phoenix would be able to add a fourth season.
Paul is a former CAA client of Knicks president Leon Rose, who has been wanting to acquire him since taking over the team in March of 2020. Paul preferred to be closer to his son in Los Angeles, according to Berman, so the Thunder sent him to Phoenix in a sign-and-trade.
There’s more on the Suns:
- Paul’s right hand is feeling better after a few days of rest, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. After Phoenix closed out the Clippers in the Western Conference finals, Paul revealed that he had been playing with partially torn ligaments in the hand. The Suns haven’t played since Wednesday while waiting to see if they will face the Bucks or the Hawks next. “Each day that we’ve had off has been really good, and we all get a chance to rest up a little bit before we get it going again,” Paul said.
- Cameron Johnson wasn’t available for Game 6 against L.A. because of a non-COVID illness, but he should be ready for the start of the NBA Finals, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “He’s fine. He was ready to go and we found out that same day,” coach Monty Williams said. “It wasn’t anything earth shattering about the whole deal. He was just sick.”
- Paul and Devin Booker are the betting favorites to be named Finals MVP, according to Alex Kennedy of BasketballNews.com (Twitter link).
as much of a CP3 fan that I am… a 3 or 4 yr deal for 33m per is pretty absurd
cardsfan12- If you were a Suns fan just a little bit you’d be stoked to sign him for four more years!!! They need to get Halliburton and let CP3 coach him up!!
I’m glad that Paul’s right hand is ok, but can we have more basketball related news?
It has been almost 3 years since Houston gave him a 4-year/$160M contract at age 33. Most people laughed at that deal. I can’t see the Suns giving him another 4-year deal at age 36 even if it’s $7M/year less, despite him playing well the last 2 seasons (and staying healthy to boot).
I don’t understand why the knicks would go after him with the other younger PG that they can obtain. He is good but for how much longer. One thing for sure he will be over paid with a 4 year deal.
You have John Wall who is going to make $45M in a year or so. Please do us a favor and shut up.
You know wall is going to keep his player option for 2023 which pays him $47 million.
In WallyWood’s defense, he is not the one that signed Wall to the deal. If anything, having an overpaid player on his team should make him MORE of an authority on which players are overpaid.
That being said, WallyWood you really need to move on from your whole dogging former Rockets on everything schtick. It gets old.
Like what? Is an injury update from one of the two remaining teams in the NBA not “basketball related”?
When is nba finals starting date?
TNT says Tuesday
I thought it’s Thursday
It’s Tuesday, it would’ve been Thursday if the Bucks/Hawks needed 7
Use the google search engine.
Keep up…no need to use a search engine. He got his answer already.
The question is so simple you can be sure the answer is right. But normally one is better off looking it up, if possible. Silli looks things up, why not that?
Eastern conference finals appearance last 7 years
Cavs 4
Celtics 3
Raptors 2
Hawks 2
Bucks 2
Heat 1
Meaningless stats brought up by Hoops Rumors commenters
Sillivan – 18,456, 223
hiflew – 7
All others – does it matter?
Where are all the Houston fans who swore CP3 was the worst contract in the sport? Rockets trade control of four 1sts to get rid of him. OKC makes the playoffs with him and gets a 1st and Oreube for him. Suns make the Finals in year 1. Teams who appreciate CP3 win. Rockets are a terrible franchise.
2 seasons finishing below .500 in the past 19 brother. Outside of the Spurs I don’t think another franchise can claim that. Plus 1 bad trade doesn’t make a team a “terrible franchise”.
Plenty of other franchises can claim they have a title in that time. HOU cannot.
CP3 Has kept the Clippers from winning a championships for a decade now!
Buuurn!
All of these dumb rules would be avoided with a hard cap \_(ツ)_/¯
Congrats to Bucks, great team win, was nice to see Tucker get the dagger to roll in
Paul will most likely turn down his 44 mil player option and sign a 3 year 100 mil deal.
It would be really good business for both him and the Suns really. For the Suns you could possibly front load it and make it 40mil next season and then 35 and 25. That would open up cap space in the future for resigning Ayton and other dudes on rookie contracts. And when he’s older and his production isn’t as good your not paying him boat loads
If give Paul 3 year $100 million contract
Ayton max
Bridges 4 year 100m
Can Payne 4 year 60m
In 2022-23 season
Suns team base salary reaches $170 million
2023-24
Suns base salary reaches $190 million
Cam Johnson
I’d guess Knicks or Spurs steal Payne
Paul must compromise 3 yrs for $75M, or Suns need to let him walk.
Paul’s going to get whatever he wants, (within reason) and the Suns will give it to him – and rightfully so. First finals since 93, first playoffs in 11 years – it’s worth the risk. This was a very special year for us and plenty of reason to believe it wasn’t a fluke with the team we have. Only one we could lose would be Payne.
Brandon Hayward got 4 year $120 million contract
If Knicks offer 3 year $110 million ……
It’s not fluke. West has a few better teams than Suns because Paul will be declining
Gordon brother Gordon
Brandon Hayward? Really?
I’d offer Paul 2 years at 40 million a year. Would rather pay him more for shorter than give him a 4 year deal.
I do think he’ll end up staying in Phx.
3 years ago
Rockets fans said
“Paul likes Houston and wants to win championships. He is going to sign 3 year $60 million contract”
I predict Paul will sign 4 year $120 million contract to stay
Gordon Hayward contract
Suns are likely to lose Payne, and later Cam Johnson on free agency
Be better off not mentioning the 2/$40.
Next year is the pinch with Ayton and Bridges getting paid bigger and Crowder an expiring.
The article suggests NY wants him and that seems to be a typical insider angle.
Better off not mentioning TO CP I should say. Might get him feeling told to leave.
IDK how Marks thinks a 3/$100 can be done. Go without Bridges? A team cannot install large salary differences year to year, but maybe Marks knows the loopholes.
CP3 has a 44 mm player option for next year. He’s not declining it to sign 3 years at much less than 100 mm. I wouldn’t make sense. Even taking the 100 mm is accepting 28 mm per year for 2 additional years. Pretty good for him. But absent an injury he can insure against, would age alone over the next couple of years really make him worth much less per year? 23, 20, 17? He doesn’t need to lock in at the worst case scenario either. He’s likely quite rich already.