Nothing is final as of yet. But the Phoenix Suns made waves this past Wednesday after Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report reported that the team is planning to waive future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul after only three seasons with the team. With a divorce between the two parties looking like the most probable outcome, could the Milwaukee Bucks, of all teams, swoop in for the fallen Point God?
Paul did not end the 2022-23 season on the highest of notes. The 38-year old veteran injured his groin in Game 2 of the Suns' second-round matchup against the Denver Nuggets, knocking him out for the entirety of the series as a result.
When he's on the floor, however, Chris Paul remains one of the most trustworthy floor generals in the game. Even in his age-37 season, Paul averaged 13.9 points and 8.9 assists, still functioning as one of the league's best playmakers even if it's apparent that he's slowing down.
Nevertheless, Paul's durability, or his lack thereof, is the issue. Time after time, Paul has broken down deep into the playoffs, and at age 38, it's difficult to envision him having a better time dealing with injuries.
With the Suns feeling a great sense of urgency to win a championship given all the assets they gave up for Kevin Durant, it's not hard to see why they're trying to, at the very least, spread the wealth around the roster given their lack of depth by letting go of Paul.
Even then, the Bucks may have a place for him on their roster. And here's why he would be such a great fit alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in the Cream City.
Why Chris Paul is a strong fit for Bucks alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo
It bears mentioning that the Bucks don't need to do too much to bounce back from the ignominious way in which they finished the 2022-23 season. The Bucks are coming off a season in which they won 58 games, the most in the NBA, and they still boast the services of Giannis Antetokounmpo, a perennial MVP candidate, as well as the likes of Jrue Holiday and Bobby Portis.
Of course, at the moment, the Bucks will have to decide on the futures of Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez. Middleton has a player option for next season, while Lopez is an unrestricted free agent. Lopez, in particular, was such a crucial piece for the Bucks on both ends of the floor this past season.
If the Bucks do run it back, they'll be among the favorites to win the championship next season. However, the Bucks' core is aging. Jrue Holiday has also said in the past that he might consider retiring early. Thus, the clock is ticking.
Adding Chris Paul won't be done for the sake of bolstering the starting lineup. The Bucks' starting unit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Holiday, Middleton, Lopez, and Grayson Allen is solid enough as it is. Acquiring Paul, however, should give the Bucks much more stability off the bench. The Bucks' depth should also give Paul some much-needed room to manage his load in the regular season.
But Paul, as much of a meme he might be due to his playoff failures in recent memory, would provide most of his value to the Bucks in the playoffs.
The Bucks, as one would recall, ran into a fair bit of trouble when it came to closing out games against the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA playoffs. Their offense devolved into mindless Giannis Antetokounmpo drives; while Antetokounmpo is one of the most ferocious rim attackers in the entire league, their offense became too predictable and as a result, the Heat were able to mount one comeback after another.
Chris Paul, as much flak as he has drawn for being unable to deliver when it matters most, could help solve the Bucks' crunch time offensive issues. Paul, after all, flourishes whenever his team is already ahead. His mastery of the pick-and-roll can be annoying to the opposing defense, especially when they're trying to come back from a deficit. Paul slows down the tempo and almost always creates a quality shot, most of the time from midrange.
Paul, even at his advanced age, showed that he still has something left in the tank. During the Suns' first round tilt against the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul helped the Suns flourish during second halves — specifically in Game 4.
If Paul is alright with taking a bench role, he'd be hard-pressed to find a much more ready-made contending team that might be in need of just one more piece to get over the hump once again.
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