Chris Paul Likely To Decline $44.4M Player Option With Suns

[RealGM Wiretap]

Chris Paul is likely to decline his $44.4 million player option for the 21-22 season with the Phoenix Suns in hopes of signing a new multi-year deal.

Paul was acquired by the Suns from the Oklahoma City Thunder last offseason and he helped guide them to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with an All-Star caliber season.

Paul could sign a new contract in the $100 million range over three seasons.

Gordon Hayward's decision to decline a $34.1 million player option with the Boston Celtics to sign an eventual four-year, $120 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets was a scenario similar in nature to Paul.

Via Eric Pincus/Bleacher Report

[BSmoov1]

So you want to steal more money ey? Little man, retire and become the new Jake...from State Farm already!

[cfour6]

Retire? have you not watched the past 3 years and what this man has done? Get out of his pockets.

[lonea]

90 for 3 yrs

[hyberx]

I don't like CP3's flops and annoying plays, but this dude is a baller. He made every team he plays on better, OKC, Suns, every team. Say what you want about his playoff record, but dude is not a quitter like LeBron. He is playing with one arm in this series and still is battling.

90mil for 3 sounds about right at this point. You are not going to get the same production on year 3 but basically paying that 44mil/year for two and throw in another as a bonus to make yourself a winning team.

[BSmoov1]

[quote="hyberx"]I don't like CP3's flops and annoying plays, but this dude is a baller. He made every team he plays on better, OKC, Suns, every team. Say what you want about his playoff record, but dude is not a quitter like LeBron.





But unlike # 23, Paul will be title less

[hyberx]

I don't like CP3's flops and annoying plays, but this dude is a baller. He made every team he plays on better, OKC, Suns, every team. Say what you want about his playoff record, but dude is not a quitter like LeBron.

But unlike # 23, Paul will be title less

The only #23 is MJ, not some poser and big baby who quits whenever the wind blows the other way.

[tigerae]

At 36 years old, I don't see what team would be willing to give him 80+ million for the next 3-5 years. Especially an up and coming young team like the Suns. That would be a huge mistake imo. Sure he turned the franchise around this year, but baring them winning it all, the trade off would be a young team having to pay huge luxury tax and hurt their ability to add and/or keep younger talent once their contracts are up.

Maybe a sign and trade to a contender for assets could work, but again, what team wants to pay that much for an aging injury prone player. I guess we shall see since Lowry is basically in the same boat. Where will these 2 players end up and what team is willing to spend 30+ million a year on them (when you calculate the tax hits each year on contenders).

I'm sure just about any contending team will be willing to pay them 10-15 a year, but 30+ is outrageous unless they believe they can somehow use that salary down the line in a trade. Say Beal or Lillard, for example.

[RajonRambo]

So you want to steal more money ey? Little man, retire and become the new Jake...from State Farm already!

Not a safe driver.

[nedleeds]

"Gordon Hayward's decision to decline a $34.1 million player option with the Boston Celtics to sign an eventual four-year, $120 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets was a scenario similar in nature to Paul."

Chris Paul's agent with the fake news, Hayward was 30. Paul will be 36. These people just lie directly to your face.

[tigerae]

So you want to steal more money ey? Little man, retire and become the new Jake...from State Farm already!

Not a safe driver.

I don't know about stealing money. He proved he can single handily turn not one but two franchises in to playoff teams. The Suns are #2 and on the brink of knocking off the defending champs. The Rockets, Thunder and Suns have made their money back and then some. Especially the Thunder and Suns with the playoff games, sellouts, merchandise, etc.

With that being said, he is 36 and will be 37 next year. I wouldn't pay him that type of money at his age if he does opt out. Highest I would go would be 15 a year for 2, maybe 3 years. Similar to what I would give Lowry. However, there will be teams with cap room, like the Knicks, who will overpay to get one of those two players.

[BigTex]

90 for 3 yrs

I'm thinking 3/$18M per year. Maybe a team option for the last year with a buyout.

[lonea]

lol, he's not going to give up 40mill to get 18 mill...

90 for 3 yrs

I'm thinking 3/$18M per year. Maybe a team option for the last year with a buyout.

[Cassius]

Put a team option or a partial guarantee on the final year and 3/100 isn't that unreasonable. The extension at that point is effectively 2/55 with more than half unguaranteed. That's enough time to either commit to Cam Payne or find a true successor late on the first round.

[raylewis]

vet minimum deal with lakers

[dougthonus]

It's interesting because the Suns could extend him now to add the extra years if they want to.

The only reason to opt out is to force a bidding war over his services and see if someone else can force their hand to do so. The Suns could add on two years 56M (28M per year) to his deal and accomplish that 100M salary which would actually have a much more attractive structure than a new 33M per year deal would going forward.

So the only reason to opt out here is that the Suns don't want to extend, and Paul needs to force them to either bid on him or let him go. It wouldn't surprise me if he got 3/100 though in an opt out. As a Bulls fan, the topic was discussed on our forum and a huge number of people are in favor of paying him that much even if you only get two years out of him.

[niha17]

lol, he's not going to give up 40mill to get 18 mill...

90 for 3 yrs

I'm thinking 3/$18M per year. Maybe a team option for the last year with a buyout.

Yea hes probally trying to get the bag 1 last time 3 year 120 mil

[PDXKnight]

At 36 years old, I don't see what team would be willing to give him 80+ million for the next 3-5 years. Especially an up and coming young team like the Suns. That would be a huge mistake imo. Sure he turned the franchise around this year, but baring them winning it all, the trade off would be a young team having to pay huge luxury tax and hurt their ability to add and/or keep younger talent once their contracts are up.

Maybe a sign and trade to a contender for assets could work, but again, what team wants to pay that much for an aging injury prone player. I guess we shall see since Lowry is basically in the same boat. Where will these 2 players end up and what team is willing to spend 30+ million a year on them (when you calculate the tax hits each year on contenders).

I'm sure just about any contending team will be willing to pay them 10-15 a year, but 30+ is outrageous unless they believe they can somehow use that salary down the line in a trade. Say Beal or Lillard, for example.

he’s carried the suns i think 30 million for 3 years from them is possible