Reports: Chris Paul Reunion on Clippers, Suns Radar

Chris Paul is still a player in demand as the LA Clippers and the Phoenix Suns look to regroup after disappointing seasons.

Reports: Chris Paul Reunion on Clippers, Suns Radar

Chris Paul Clippers old (Image via Open Source)

The LA Clippers and Phoenix Suns are two teams that were ridiculed for being old and unathletic last year. The Suns did their part to shed this impression earlier this month, trading Kevin Durant away to Houston. Lawrence Frank and the LA Clippers, meanwhile, are still holding on to James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. And it now seems that absence is making both teams’ hearts grow fonder for CP3.

According to the latest reports, both teams are looking for backcourt help after reshuffling their teams. And Chris Paul, who led both teams to their best regular season campaigns, is high on their priority lists.

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Clippers and Suns are both in the running for the Point God’s services.

The Los Angeles Clippers, in addition to Phoenix, are another of Paul’s former teams that is said to be weighing a second engagement with the 12-time NBA All-Star, who turned 40 in May. Paul’s family stayed in Los Angeles this season while Dad played in South Texas.

The Phoenix Suns looked in dire need of a playmaker at the point guard spot last year. Tyus Jones started the season off well, but his lack of scoring ability was a big problem for the Arizona team. By the end of the season, opponents were giving him a wide berth because of his inability to be a good shooter. This made life more difficult for Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and the others on the Suns team.

The LA Clippers, meanwhile, have a Hall of Famer running point for them in James Harden. Harden had another good year for the team and returned to the All-Star game after a hiatus of three years. But the team’s offensive flow fell apart when he took the bench, both during the regular season and in the playoffs. It is clear that they need another playmaker to take the load off The Beard for short spells.

Chris Paul has a great legacy with both the Phoenix Suns and the LA Clippers

CP3 was a member of the LA Clippers for six seasons from 2011-12 to 2016-17. He helped the team get out of irrelevance and become viable contenders during his time, leading them to three straight 56+ win seasons. The Clippers finished each of his six seasons there above .600, their best spell in franchise history. His influence helped to reverse a lot of the stigma attached to playing for the second LA team.

Chris Paul
Chris Paul (Imagn)

Paul then moved to the Rockets for two seasons before being traded to the OKC Thunder in 2019. After a season in the Midwest, Paul was acquired by the Phoenix Suns, who finished the Disney World bubble tournament with eight wins and looked ready for primetime action. Getting Chris Paul was a big part of their turnaround as the Suns finished the 2020-21 season with a 51-21 record and made the NBA Finals.

The Suns then wound up winning 64 games the next season for the best regular season output in franchise history. However, they lost a seven-game series to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks in 2022. Despite acquiring Kevin Durant in 2023, they were unable to return to the Finals. The team now finds itself at another crossroads, having traded Kevin Durant to the Rockets a week ago after failing to acquire Darius Garland.

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