NBA Rumors: Bucks Could Reportedly Land Chris Paul For Package Featuring Eric Bledsoe & 1st-Round Draft Picks
After a subpar final season with the Houston Rockets in 2018-19, Chris Paul had a resurgence of sorts with the Oklahoma City Thunder. At the time the NBA went on hiatus in March, the 10-time All-Star had led his new team to a 40-24 record, tying it with his old one for fifth place in the Western Conference. However, that hasn’t prevented him from being included in trade rumors, including multiple that have linked him to the Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee Bucks.
In a report published on Wednesday afternoon, Fadeaway World discussed how the Bucks are, despite their league-best 53-12 win-loss record, arguably “one or two pieces away” from winning an NBA championship. The outlet opined that Paul could team up with erstwhile starting shooting guard Khris Middleton to give Milwaukee a “deep and talented backcourt,” with “CP3” facilitating the offense and helping get the ball to the Bucks’ top player, 2018-19 NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Talking about a theoretical package that the Bucks could put together in order to acquire Paul, Fadeaway World suggested offering a number of veterans to the Thunder, including Eric Bledsoe, Ersan Ilyasova, and George Hill, second-year guard Donte DiVincenzo, and “multiple” future first-round picks. The publication predicted that this package won’t represent a “game-changing” haul for Oklahoma City but would at least free up some much-needed salary-cap space.
Chris Paul is the highest-ranking active player in assists and steals
He has led the league in assists four times and steals six times
They don’t call him the Point God for nothing
Happy 35th birthday, CP3 ? pic.twitter.com/muNdNDG2ZM
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 6, 2020
According to Fadeaway World, second-year standout Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and sixth man Dennis Schroder could get more playing time at guard if Paul gets traded to the Bucks for the aforementioned players and future draft picks. It wasn’t made clear, however, what role erstwhile starting point guard Bledsoe could play for the Thunder if the hypothetical trade pushes forward. Per Basketball-Reference, Bledsoe is the Bucks’ third-leading scorer, with averages of 15.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists and a solid 48.2 percent shooting clip from the field.
As for Paul, the 35-year-old made his 10th All-Star Game appearance earlier this year and has averaged 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.8 assists for the Thunder this season. These numbers, however, could potentially go down on a team that features two big scorers in Antetokounmpo and Middleton.
The Bucks aren’t the only organization that has been mentioned recently as a team that could trade several players to the Thunder in order to acquire Paul and improve their chances of winning a title. In April, The Inquisitr reported on a trade idea that could allow the 15-year veteran to return to the Los Angeles Clippers for four or five players, including guards Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley, and Rodney McGruder, forward JaMychal Green, and center Ivica Zubac.
