Chris Paul has two years left on his Super Max contract and a player option worth $44 million in 2021-22. He’s not taking a buyout. The Lakers have no picks to trade and no young players that would interest the Thunder. He’s not going to end up a Laker any time soon.
I think this was made abundantly clear already by CyberX. Rockets had all intentions of keeping Chris Paul, but then Paul George bailed on the Thunder and Westbrook called up his buddy Harden who went to Tilman and Morey to demand this trade happen. Morey never lied, nor broke any promises. The situation had changed and it was beyond his control.
It is true, at least the meeting with Chris when he asked Morey if he was going to be traded, and Morey denied. It was all over ESPN or other papers.
I respect Chris and the contributions he made in his time here. The bottom line is we had a chance to make an upgrade just like he had a chance to come here, make a title run, and sign an enormous contract in the twilight of his career. I don’t see anything wrong with either parties in this scenario.
Well, it was also reported Morey was reluctant to make the trade for WB.....Fertitta and Harden forced his hand. It is a testament that Morey is now working under duress and his vision is oppressed. I always said, MDA, Morey and Fertitta, their styles never aligned 100%.
The problem is that 2018-2019 Chris Paul thought he was still on equal footing with Harden from a skill perspective, like he was 2017-2018 Chris Paul. As for Melo, here’s the deal: before he put on a Rockets jersey it was perfectly clear that he needed to change and adapt. If his BFF didn’t communicate that to him then that’s on Paul. Feeling slighted in any way because we cut bait on Melo during a time when the team was playing .500 ball is just not smart. Chris and his group can bad mouth Harden Morey etc all they want. At the end of the day if his skills weren’t evidently eroding he would still be a Rocket. We need a 2nd Banana right now and Paul, at best right now, is a 3rd fiddle. As for Morey’s promise, things change. At that time Paul George and Westbrook were still fine playing in OKC. Kawhi was pretty much going to the Lakers. Paul can take it personally but as a businessman he should know this was the move Houston needed to make.
If the Lakers really wanted CP3 (which could be possible) a trade could be worked out during the season centered around Danny Green I imagine, his contract isn't bad at all and OKC could flip that contract 100% around the deadline. Just depends on how much the Lakers would value Green vs CP3. Rondo would be thrown into the trade would be no problem, only a 1 year deal for 1.6 million.
Yep. Both CyberX and Clutch confirmed Morey didn't want to make this trade, but Harden basically gave an ultimatum and Tilman gave the order.
there's no reason to hate on chris.....we had no chance of a title before getting him. Some ppl think it was a bad trade to give up what we did, but let me tell you, even with Beverley, Montrez, and lou williams, we weren't going to be as good as chris' first year with us here. we gave up a lot and had to pay him, but we went all in, just like we're doing now with westbrook. This is a trade that the rockets had to do because they will never risk alienating james harden and have him ask for a trade next year or so. It was a trade that we had to make to keep our window open, but i am still a CP fan. When he is on, he's still one of most skilled half court point guards in basketball and he makes the team better. He lost a step but he has every right to want james to play hard off the ball when he is running the show because he wants to win. i'd be pissed to watching harden walk up the court disinterested. he can't change who he is, a fierce competitor.
It hurts my heart that CP3 chose to come to the Rockets and play with Harden to win a ring only to be shipped off at 34 to the sticks. All the "You gotta treat people like people" guys showing a real lack of empathy. You know me, I stump for Morey saying he wouldn't do anything like this, but if this happened, That's real grimy. Morey had to appease his bosses and Harden.
Yeah, the Carmelo agenda is news though. I am not saying I believe it 100% per se but I could see it happening in a resembling manner.
Danny Green and Rajon Rondo together don’t even come close to matching Chris Paul’s salary, and the Thunder aren’t going to take that package without young players or draft picks coming back. Chris Paul is not going to be a Laker.
