AUGUST 6: Paul’s new contract is official, the Suns announced today in a press release.
AUGUST 3: Paul’s new four-year deal is a little more team-friendly than the initial reports suggested, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter links), who says the third year will only be about 50% guaranteed and the fourth year will be a team option.
While the deal could be worth $120MM if Paul plays out the whole thing, Gambadoro suggests it only features about $75MM in fully guaranteed money.
AUGUST 2: Free agent point guard Chris Paul has agreed to a four-year contract with the Suns that could be worth up to $120MM, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Paul will turn 40 years old in 2025, the year the deal expires.
Paul turned down a $44MM player option with Phoenix on Sunday in order to lock in a more lucrative longer-term deal. The Suns were the only team that could have offered him more than three years due to the NBA’s Over-38 rule, so it’s possible that helped push the deal over the finish line.
“After this season in Phoenix and experiencing how amazing the fans were, my chemistry with my teammates, with (Devin Booker), with Monty (Williams), I knew Phoenix was where I wanted to be,” Paul told Haynes. “It’s time to get back to work.”
According to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, Paul underwent surgery on his left wrist shortly after the NBA Finals ended last month. However, he’s expected to be ready for the start of training camp in the fall, a source tells Spears.
Paul, who has played for four teams in the last five seasons, had one of the best years of his decorated career with Phoenix in 2020/21. His individual numbers – including 16.4 PPG, 8.9 APG, and 4.5 RPG in 70 games (31.4 MPG) – weren’t as impressive as the ones he was posting earlier in his career, but he helped turned the Suns from a lottery team into a legit contender.
Phoenix finished the season with the NBA’s second-best record and represented the Western Conference in the NBA Finals, taking a 2-0 lead over Milwaukee before dropping the next four games. Paul earned Second Team All-NBA honors and a top-five finish in MVP voting as a result of his impressive season.
Because Paul’s 2021/22 salary will now be significantly lower than the $44MM+ he would’ve earned if he had picked up his option, the Suns now have some added cap flexibility for the coming season, allowing the team to make use of its mid-level exception. However, the club projects to be deep into the tax in future years if it completes long-term extensions with Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges, as is expected.
He will be pushing 40 (40th birthday on 5/6/2025) when this contract expires.
Not a smart deal at all.
The fourth year team option makes it tolerable but still a bad deal overall. Overpriced.
He could had 47 million & clogged the cap. Win/win bc only 75 million guaranteed. He’s worth two or three more years & 75 million. He won’t get full 120 million
Great move Phoenix. Rivals 4 years to come. Shout out 72 mill to my guy Conley Jr.!
Good for CP3 deciding on cash over ring chasing. Probably pissed LBJ choose Russ over him.
Why chase a ring when you can just rejoin the team that came closest to winning a ring last year?
As great as Paul is, he will be injury proned throughout the contract and Suns wont win a title.
I’m looking forward to the sun’s sending him home and refusing to play him until he agrees to a buyout.
Great place to retire.
One month ago
I predict 4 year $120 million
We all bow down to your greatness and oracular abilities.
Thank you for giving me a new word of the day. I will have to really work hard to fit “oracular” into every day conversation, but I will try.
Are you getting a cookie for all of these predications?
His mom made him some chicken tenders tonight for being such a smart boy and he deserves it! I am surprised he is not a GM unless…he is really the ex GM from Philly Bryan Colangelo!! What’s up with the huge collars on your shirt Bryan? Is it to hide your turkey neck?
I thought he was Jim Paxson?
His deal is worth up to $120M, he’s not getting $30M/year.
Chris owns you lol. You should be banned from posting about him. He’s made a clown of you all year. Do you think we don’t know or have forgotten. Go change your name. Get a head start LOL
I love seeing his butthurt when posting about his exMVPs. You rarely see him in a Houston article but when it about his ex players that broke his or Dubs you know Houston’sGreenWood will be there.
As out there as many of his trade scenarios and FA signings are, I won’t hate on his determination and participation on Hoops Rumors. I’m happy for him that he got one right. My hat’s off to you.
We know atleast two solid yrs for sure. Then still a valuable backup. Never thought I’d see this. Life is good CP3. You earned it with that Finals run.
Don’t think I haven’t forgotten all who hated on Chris when he got traded. For all who don’t know. Chris Paul’s game. Is exactly the way the Big O played. BigO was 6’5” so imagine Chris at 6’5”. God bless you Chris. West is going to be fun next yr lols.
A backup making almost $30M/year? He should go to NY with Noel.
Who makes 30 mill in NY. Please inform us.
Dude you got no jokes you got no game. All you got is NAMES. And you’ll have a new one in three months. Haaa ha haaaa ha haaa hoooohiiii
Hiiiihoooo huuuuhaaa ha haaa has haaa hhuuu hoooo Hoo guy gaaa has hay hay hay hua.
Lol.
Suns didnt have to bend backwards for Paul because a lot of stars want to play with Booker going forward. WHO is responsible for this contract????!! Why????!!
I agree, could have just signed Cam Payne back and traded Paul for whatever the Wiz got for Russ plus what the Lakers would have had to add on because Paul > Russ by a mile. They could have talked the Lakers into swapping every pick in the 2030’s.
Last few years of that contract are going to be painful for the suns if he doesn’t retire before then. Hope it pays off in the near term.
Heat could have traded for him 2 years ago, and as I said at the time, they wouldnt be in a position now where theyd have to lose Dragic and assets to trade for Kyle Lowry, and they may have also had a championship from it. All the guys that would have been in the trade are gone too…
Great for him. Hopefully they can piece together a similar versatile lineup and try again. Gutted for him to get all the way where they were, and then just stop doing all the things, rotation wise, they did literally all year to get there
My prediction: Suns will end up regretting this contract very badly, and will probably not even appear in the Finals again during the next 4 years.
CP3 is overrated.
He had his one shot, after blowing his best shot in 2018. Too bad Chris.
So in the end its like one of those NFL fake money contracts where only half of it is guarantee. Not bad.
Fair deal . They are the team to beat in the west . I have the ranking as:
1. Suns
2. Utah
3. Lakers
4. Denver
5. GS
6. Dallas
7. Portland
8. Clippers
Lakers and Warriors will both be play-in tournament participants again.
Maybe not even that if their aging stars (incl. Klay) fail to stay healthy.
So much for Paul to the Sixers lol