The Washington Wizards changed the trajectory of their franchise by trading Bradley Beal to the Phoenix. Part of Washington's return package included Chris Paul. With Paul now on his way to the Wizards, the team has devised a plan on how to handle the 12-time All Star's situation.

The Wizards want Paul on their roster. But if Paul wants to join a contender, Washington plans to find a third team to finalize their Beal trade, via Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

With Beal holding a no-trade clause, he held all the cards in his future destination. He settled in on Phoenix to form a super team with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker on the Suns. To make the trade happen, Paul's contract had to be shipped to Washington.

There had been rumors of the Suns moving on from Paul well before the trade. His trade allowed Phoenix to get him off the books while acquiring a talented scorer in Beal. Now, the Wizards have a major decision to make with Chris Paul.

Even with the Wizards heading towards a rebuild, Washington seems interested in keeping Paul on the roster. He has a wealth of knowledge and could help develop their incoming young nucleus. However, Paul is 38-years-old. For all his accolades, he has never won an NBA Championship. He may not be interested in playing for a rebuilding team, even if he is a leader. The Los Angeles Clippers, who Paul used to play for and are playoff contenders, have begun to show interest, via Chris Haynes of TNT.

Still, the Wizards will explore that route and try to maintain Paul. But if that doesn't work, Washington will look to expand on their Bradley Beal trade and continue to build towards their future.