Chris Paul Makes It Clear He's Choosing The Bag Over Potentially Contending For A Title
(SI) - In an interview with Sports Illustrated's Rohan Nadkarni, Paul, 34, insists that he is content in Oklahoma City, even if the team is in the midst of an overhaul.
"People always try to tell your story," says Paul. "I'm just in the moment. If something happens and I get moved, I'll make adjustments. For now, I get to hoop. I get to play. My body feels good. I'm excited."
Paul told Nadkarni that neither he nor his agent have requested a trade from the Thunder. When asked if he would opt out of his final year of his contract–a $44.2 million option for 2021-22–if it meant being traded to a championship contender, Paul added he's not making that sacrifice.
"No chance. That's not happening. Nope."
The Point God signed a four-year, $159.7 million with the Rockets in 2018, and his player option in the final year of his deal is seen as the biggest obstacle for teams interested in acquiring him.
Paul added that he's also enjoying playing with his younger teammates, like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Darius Bazley, and finding purpose after being on teams that weren’t always well-connected.
When Chris Paul was sent to OKC in what at the time looked like a long rebuild, I think we all expected him to throw a temper tantrum and demand his way onto a contender. He's not getting any younger, he went from a Finals contender to a rebuild, and he's certainly a candidate to become a HOF talent to never win a ring. The problem with that comes down to one thing, his massive contract
I mean look at that thing. Would you be interested in paying a 36 year old CP3 $44M????? Probably not. That's a slam dunk opt in if I've ever seen one. One would think that a player of his caliber at that age would do everything he could in order to find his way to a contender, but I have to respect Paul here. You know what makes the pain of being an all time great and not winning a title? 44 million dollars. Basically doing this, but in real life.
So I don't blame CP3 for choosing the bag over contending. Winning a title is certainly no guarantee, and you'd have to be a big dumb dumb to willingly give up a guaranteed $44M. There is no next massive contract for Paul, this is it.
The biggest surprise out of this whole situation is the Thunder are actually good! Not only that, Paul has been fantastic this season. For a player that sneaky looked washed last year in HOU, maybe it really was just his injuries because his bounce back year this year is legit
17/5.0/6.4/1.6 on 48/37% splits and 1.7 3PM in 44 games playing 31.8 minutes a night
This is the best he's shot from the floor since 2014-15 and he's doing it with the lowest usage he's had since 2010-11. We've had much more Vintage CP3 than we saw last year and the Thunder have surprised everyone at 25-19 and within 2 games of the 6 seed. They went from a team that was almost a lock to be sellers at the deadline to now maybe being buyers for the right pieces. Players like SGA have flourished under Paul and as the season goes on they are looking more and more like a potential tough playoff out. If they stay at 7 and have a first round matchup against LAC, you wouldn't watch that? CP3 vs his old team would be awesome. Just so you know they've split the season series so far.
I know we live in a RINNNNGZZZZZZ culture and people may think Paul is stupid for having this mindset, but those same people also wouldn't have the stones to turn down that kind of money. If Paul retires and never even plays in a Finals so be it, he's still one of the best point guards to ever do it with or without a ring.