The Oklahoma City Thunder have had a hard time finding a team desperate enough to trade for Chris Paul, a large component of what it would take to haul in the remaining $124 million of his contract.
According to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, the Thunder gambled, thinking they could find a team to flip Paul to at some point within the season, but that is simply not the case, as most contenders have a reliable point guard to help lead them to the playoffs.
The Thunder will put Paul back in the holster, reload, and try again in the summer, once his contract turns into a more digestible $85.5 million over the next two years.
Paul's backloaded contract is simply a nightmare for most NBA front offices, as his 2021-22 player option is a monstrous $44.2 million — one he'd be crazy to turn down two summers from now.
The Thunder expect to have more luck in July, as “mostly they're laying the groundwork to do something in the summer,” according to a league general manager.
Desperation is a key asset in trading Paul, as no other thing could force a team to put so many millions in the balance. Trading for Paul could be a crippling decision for any team willing to pull the trigger on a deal, considering those $44.2 million he will make at age 36, where a lot of his physical attributes will have diminished.
The signs are there — Paul no longer has his blazing speed, but now relies on cerebral and fundamental parts of his game to remain effective in the league. Question is for how long? And how much will that be worth two years from now?
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