NBA Trade Rumors: Miami Heat Considered As ‘Obvious Destination’ For Chris Paul
The 2019 NBA offseason featured several NBA superstars leaving their respective teams to chase for an NBA championship title somewhere else. Though most big names on the free agency market have already found a new home, there are still a number of players who are expected to be available on the trade market before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline. As of now, one NBA superstar who is frequently mentioned in trade rumors is Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The core of Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari, Shai-Gildeous Alexander, and Steven Adams may be enough to help the Thunder earn a playoff spot in the Western Conference next season. However, since the departure of Russell Westbrook and Paul George, multiple signs point toward Oklahoma City undergoing a rebuilding process. According to Sam Quinn of CBS Sports, if the Thunder are really taking a different route in the 2019-20 NBA season, Paul is better off being traded to a legitimate playoff contender than wasting his remaining years in the NBA mentoring young players on a rebuilding team.
“Paul should be traded because a player of his stature deserves better than wasting away on a lottery team he didn’t choose, and because even with all of the factors complicating a potential deal, there are still plenty of teams that could both use and acquire him.”
Despite his deteriorating performance and massive contract, Chris Paul would still be useful to NBA teams who are in dire need of a backcourt boost. As Quinn noted, several NBA teams could express interest in acquiring Paul before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline, including the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, and the Los Angeles Clippers. Of all those NBA teams, Quinn believes that the Heat are the “obvious destination” for the veteran point guard.
“The Miami Heat are the obvious destination. The Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic all have both the means and motive to make a trade. If they really wanted to, the Los Angeles Clippers could even facilitate a reunion.”
Since the successful acquisition of Jimmy Butler, the Heat has been aggressive on the trade market, with Chris Paul among their top trade targets. Unfortunately, though both teams are open to engaging in a trade involving Paul, no deal has materialized. According to a previous report from The Inquisitr, the Heat and the Thunder view the deal differently.
Though they know what they could get from Chris Paul, the Heat team believes they are doing the Thunder a favor, so they want compensation for absorbing his massive contract. The Thunder undeniably wants to get Paul’s lucrative deal off their books, but they aren’t willing to sacrifice a future draft pick in the process. Unless both NBA teams reach a middle ground, the CP3-to-Heat trade isn’t expected to happen anytime soon. Expect more rumors to circulate around Paul before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline.
