In the press conference after their heartbreaking defeat, Phoenix Suns star guard immediately cut off all speculations by declaring that he won't be retiring. However, this hasn't stopped rumors from flying out and about. Paul is clearly at the tail end of his career. Fans want him to at least snag one ring before he calls it quits. Some of them believe that he can achieve this goal by moving to a team that's ready to win the title.
However, there are three good reasons why Paul must stay with the Phoenix Suns despite their heartbreaking defeat. The entire league seems pretty evened out right now. While there are some super teams present, the Suns and Paul are still a step above them.
Three (3) Reasons for Chris Paul to Stay with Suns
The Suns Have The Pieces
Analysts have been praising Paul for imparting wisdom and knowledge to the Suns' young players and jumpstarting their development. This will be one of the talking points when we look back at Paul's legacy: how he was able to guide a roster of young players (with the Sun and the Oklahoma City Thunder) to overachieve.
While there's no discounting the greatness of Paul, we also have to point out that mentorship goes both ways. At the end of the day, Paul's words don't mean anything if his teammates prove that they've absorbed the lessons by showing it come game time. The Suns were able to do just that. Their regular-season record and playoff campaign prove it.
This means that the Suns already have the pieces. Yes, the Suns have young players but they are experienced enough to be on the same plane with the Point God. This offseason, Devin Booker will continue to put in the work to become the best scorer in the league, Deandre Ayton who will continue to iron out his play, and the rest of the team will follow suit.
Monty Williams, Suns Front Office
Winning a title is almost like experiencing a miracle. Everything has to go right for the entire season: no injuries, players and coaches are in sync, and the front office is attentive to the team's needs. We can say that this is the first time in Paul's illustrious career that everything lined up for him.
Over the next few days, Monty Williams as well as the Suns front office will be absorbing the heartbreaking loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Taking some time off to reflect and clear your head is a must. After a few days off, the Suns and front office will be back to the drawing board. Their NBA Finals defeat in six games suggests that a lot still has to be done. A minor roster tweak? The addition of a specific type of player? Perhaps more veterans? Williams and the front office will come up with answers soon. Don't be surprised if the Suns become one of the most active teams in the offseason.
He Still Has It
Paul's statement that he won't be retiring is an admission that he still has lots of gas left in the tank. Analysts can say whatever they want about an athlete's condition. But at the end of the day, the athlete himself knows his body better than anybody else. They can say whatever they want regarding the decline in Paul's reflexes. All of this is true but the guard has always relied on his basketball intelligence ever since.
Standing just six feet tall is already a disadvantage in a game where giants prevail. Paul is so accustomed to ignoring this inherent disadvantage and just outsmart his opponents. In the 2021-22 NBA Season, we may even see a much sharper and more intelligent Chris Paul.
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