NBA Rumors: Chris Paul May Not Re-Sign With Houston Rockets, Per ‘Fox Sports
Chris Paul has been expected to remain with the Houston Rockets long-term all season long. After being knocked out of the playoffs in seven games by the Golden State Warriors, things may be changing. Losing to the Warriors may not have anything to do with it, but the star point guard doesn’t seem to see eye-to-eye with the Rockets.
According to a report from Chris Broussard of Fox Sports, there is “tension” between Paul and the Rockets. That doesn’t mean that the two sides won’t be able to work through things, but Paul might consider his options in free agency.
James Harden and Paul were nearly able to knock off the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. An injury that forced Paul to miss the final two games of the series was a major disappointment. No one will ever know what would have happened if Paul were to have played in one or both of those games.
During the 2017-18 season with the Rockets, Paul averaged 18.6 points per game to go along with 7.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds. He shot 46.0 percent from the field overall and knocked down 38.0 percent of his three-point attempts. In the playoffs, Paul averaged 21.1 points and was exactly the second star that the Rockets needed alongside Harden.
Houston will make re-signing Paul a priority this offseason. What the “tension” between the two parties is all about will need to be fixed as soon as possible.
There are plenty of teams that would love to have a player like Paul on their roster. That being said, there are only a handful of teams that could afford the kind of contract that Paul will be wanting. Among those teams are the Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, and Brooklyn Nets.
Is there tension between Chris Paul and the Houston Rockets over his contract situation? https://t.co/zgBd6JlE4K pic.twitter.com/GGxFhBJBtC
— NESN (@NESN) June 23, 2018
Looking at that list of teams, the Pacers, Mavericks, and Nets would all be intriguing landing spots. Dennis Smith being in Dallas with Luka Doncic may take them out of the equation, but Dallas is always looking to make a splash in free agency.
At 33-years-old, Paul may be entering the last offseason that he is able to sign a major long-term contract. He might not be looking for the money, but it would make sense to get a deal that keeps him safe for a few years at least.
Expect to hear plenty of rumors about Paul this offseason. Many reports have stated that Paul would love to play with LeBron James and perhaps “The King” won’t have to sign with the Rockets in order to make that happen.
Perhaps Paul would be willing to work out a deal to join James wherever LeBron decides to play.
