Chris Paul returned to Los Angeles and signed with the Clippers on a one-year deal last week. Paul showed strong interest in playing for one of his other former teams before making his decision, according to the latest Substack article from Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
The other team that Paul considered rejoining was the Suns. The team’s star, Devin Booker, was intrigued by the potential reunion, given how they meshed during Phoenix’s run to the 2021 NBA Finals. There was also seemingly a spot for Paul at the point, since Tyus Jones chose to sign with Orlando.
The Suns’ front office decided to go in another direction. Phoenix was much more interested in defensive stalwart Marcus Smart, who chose to sign with the Lakers after reaching a buyout with Washington. Phoenix’s brass also had some concerns how the future Hall of Famer’s presence might create some awkward situations for first-year head coach Jordan Ott.
The Suns wound up claiming Jordan Goodwin off waivers and signing Jared Butler to a non-guaranteed contract. Paul also drew interest from the Hornets, Mavericks and Bucks, as previously reported.
Citing a source, Stein said Dallas had D’Angelo Russell higher on its wish list than Paul. The Mavs’ brass believed Russell would be more comfortable in a complementary role once Kyrie Irving returns from his knee ailment. They also felt Russell was a better fit with Anthony Davis, considering they had played together with the Lakers. Russell signed a two-year deal with the Mavs.
Here’s more nuggets from The Stein Line:
- The Hawks considered absorbing Smart’s contract into its $25MM traded player exception prior to his buyout. Atlanta opted instead to acquire Kristaps Porziņgis and make a sign-and-trade transaction for Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The Bucks explored potential trades for Smart and the Warriors‘ Andrew Wiggins with the aid of Pat Connaughton‘s expiring $9.4MM contract. They instead dealt him to Charlotte for two future second-round picks.
- Fischer reiterates that the Nets’ offers to restricted free agent Cam Thomas have yet to exceed two-year proposals featuring an annual average value in the range of the league’s $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Those offers also include a team option for the second year. Brooklyn appears to be in no rush to ramp up negotiations with Thomas’ representation, given Thomas’ lack of leverage.
- Regarding another prominent restricted free agent, Jonathan Kuminga has not gotten an offer from the Warriors close to his reported $30MM annual asking price. The Warriors’ best offers to Kuminga have topped out in the two-year, $40MM range, per Stein. As previously reported, the Kings and Suns are regarded as the top suitors but Golden State wants a first-round pick in any sign-and-trade deal. Phoenix is unable to offer a first-rounder.
If GSW would pay Giddey 2/60 and CHI would pay Kuminga 2/60…sign and trade them then?
Why the hell would he go back to the Suns?
Maybe you should ask him if you are that curious.
I$hiba
I don’t think anything the warriors do would make him happy unless he got a 5/150 contract. I am surprside no team is offering the warriors a 1st round pick for him. Surprised the kings don’t offer a future 1st round pick for him sinmce they don’t have a star scorer besides Sabonis. Warriors should ask for Maluach from Suns instead of a 1st round.
The Suns aren’t giving up Malauch…Is Kuminga really a star scorer?
They don’t have a star scorer outside of Sabonis lol. The most casual take I’ve ever seen. DeRozan is one of the best mid range shooters and on top of that Zach LaVine is also there. Kuminga would be their 4th option on offence lol
@arc89 how would we know what’s been offered for Kuminga one way or the other?
Like most trade situations, the only party with an interest in providing “information” is the player (and his agent).
Keeping information confidential equates to power. It’s not in the Warriors’ interest in disclosing information, nor is it typically in the interests of the second team.
Um yeah, kid wants his money or an opportunity. Why would another team give up a first round pick when they draft a younger and cheaper player they can develop with said pick?
DeM DeR and Z LaVine …..
So, Kuminga wants to be an All-Star. He wants 5 years/$150+ million. But his only offers are 2 years/$40 million. Ouch!! It appears the rest of the NBA doesn’t value him as highly as he thinks. $30 million would be cheap for an All-Star caliber player. Locking one up for that price would be a steak.
He can’t shoot 3’s and hasn’t proven anything in 4 seasons.
Only a lottery team woud be dumb enough to give him that kind of money. Just so he can score 18-20 points on 30 percent from 3 and losing 50 games.
@ Giants…He was an all star in waiting according to you Warrior fans. Now he’s a bum, go figure. Yet you want an all star return. 2 yrs $40 mil. Says who? You guys will believe anything.
There you go with your delusions again. Only in your fantasy world did I ever say Kuminga was a perennial, or whatever term you are using this week, All-Star. It never happened. And yet, you keep pushing that belief, bizarre.
What teams are offering him more than 2 yrs/$40 million? You obviously believe that. Kuminga is the one who wants All-Star money. If you haven’t figured it out yet, Saric and a 2nd isn’t going to trigger a trade.
After striking out elsewhere, looks like Russ to Phoenix is a nice match coming together.
I’ll take Russ on Knicks. He is holding out fir a contender..
As of today unless Kuminga is offered a minimum of 25 mill a yr. It’s not in his best interest to sign. He can just wait it out tor best offer in season. Once he shows. Teams will make offers. He has a no trade clause with a QO. So can pick where he wants to go. Nobody is going to help Warriors and give them value today. In season a team will need to trade for him for the future.
Bucks should be trying to find a way to get him. They have a pick they can use.
Sims, Harris, future #1 pick.
link to google.com
Kuminga value was high after playoffs. Considering the cap and the Warriors ineptitude. Its low again now. He doesn’t have to sign his QO till Oct 1. He won’t last the year in GS. That should be clear now.
The salary cap was announced before the playoffs. So, that didn’t change Kuminga’s value. How each team values a player is set by each team, not the Warriors.
Umm…You are wrong. A QO is not a non-trade clause. The Warriors can keep the QO on him until he dies, keeping him a RFA.
Teams haven’t come close to offering him $25 million. What good would it do him to wait until the trading deadline? Why miss a training camp? If a team is heading towards the playoffs, he wouldn’t get a lot of playing time. He would basically be blowing off a full season.
@ Giants…lols, you sure about that? QO makes Kuminga an unrestricted FA next off-season. It’s the worst case scenario for Golden State.
Giants….You sure about that, lols. QO makes Kuminga an unrestricted FA next off-season. You don’t just own the man until he dies. It’s 2025 not 1600 to 1800.
QO doesn’t stop Kuminga from changing teams. It just allows them to match any offer. It happens to all rookie scale players.
Everyone is ignoring how bad a player Kuminga is.
Bad shot selection
Bad defence
Bad team player
Bad decision maker
Bad bad bad
Do not blame other teams for not being interested
I think they could get it done if it was a 1+1 and the 2nd year was like 25ish? Give him the opportunity to ball out but get traded this year. If the Suns really want him theyll have time to figure out a trade.
The warriors have really screwed this Kuminga situation up, over a course of years. Talk about minimizing an asset smh. What will they have to show for three lottery picks in Wiseman, Kuminga, and Moody? Starting to look like not much.