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The Oklahoma City Thunder were involved in yet another deal that seemed to completely capsize the NBA media on Thursday, trading longtime franchise point guard Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul and a slew of future first-round picks.
Although Paul would be returning to the place where he started his career and would be more than serviceable as a veteran leader and mentor, the Thunder are desperately looking for ways to dump his massive contract.
After missing out on Westbrook, it seemed like the Miami Heat might turn around and make a play for Paul. But given the fact that they are hard-capped, they would have to send multiple bad contracts back to the Thunder in any deal involving Paul:
Oklahoma City would need to attach ‘significant concessions’ and take back ‘unappealing contracts’ in any deal that would send Chris Paul to Miami, per @flasportsbuzz
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 12, 2019
One such contract would almost certainly be Goran Dragic, who will make over $19 million this upcoming season but is also on an expiring deal. It would not be a surprise if the Heat also looked to move James Johnson, Kelly Olynyk or Dion Waiters, all of whom will be making at least $11.5 million next year.
Not only is Paul set to make over $38.5 million this year, but he is signed through the 2020-21 season and has a $44 million player option in the final year of his deal that he almost certainly will accept.
Since any team that takes on Paul's salary is likely to be handicapped from a financial standpoint, the ‘concessions' that the Heat desire would most likely involve at least a few of the first-round picks that the Thunder have acquired in the last two deals.
