When the Houston Rockets sent Chris Paul to the Oklahoma City Thunder in July, there were expectations that his time there would be brief. Paul, 34, has never won a championship; let alone appeared in the NBA Finals. With aspirations of assisting a contending franchise, it seems like the Thunder and Paul will be side-by-side until the end of the season.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the following:
“There is no belief in Oklahoma City or even the CP3 camp that there’s going to be a trade for him. After the season, another year off that giant contract? Maybe. He’s played well for them. Forty million dollars plus, they’re resigned that he’ll be there.”
Sitting in the second year of his four-year, $160M contract, Paul has been a difficult pill for opposing trade suitors to swallow. This season alone, the veteran is expected to make $38M. After that, his annual salary only increases.
However, Oklahoma City is surpassing expectations and Paul has been a major part of their success. The team currently sits at 11-14; ranked as the #8 seed in the Western Conference.
Originally, the rumors that sparked the most volume for Paul involved the Miami Heat. However, the team has found a newfound gem in guard Kendrick Nunn. The Heat have a record of 19-7, and sit as the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
In his 15th season, Paul is averaging 15.6 points, 6.3 assists, and has only surrendered 1.7 turnovers per game. At this current rate, Paul’s turnovers per game would mark a career-low.
Photo Credit: SB Nation
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