NBA Rumors: Chris Paul To Bucks For Eric Bledsoe, Brook Lopez, And Ersan Ilyasova, ‘Bleacher Report’ Suggests
After establishing an impressive performance in his first year with the Oklahoma City Thunder, veteran point guard Chris Paul is expected to be one of the most coveted players on the trade market this fall. Though he’s already on the downside of his career, Paul showed that he still has plenty of gas left in his tank and could help a legitimate title contender in dire need of a backcourt boost. One of the teams who is rumored to be very interested in trading for Paul in the 2020 offseason is the Milwaukee Bucks.
According to Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, the Bucks could be desperate enough to seek help from the Point God this fall. Unlike other superstars, the Bucks wouldn’t be needing to pay a king’s ransom to bring Paul to Milwaukee. However, to make a deal that would work under the collective bargaining agreement, Bailey suggested the Bucks should be ready to part ways with some members of their core to match Paul’s massive contract.
In the proposed trade scenario by Bleacher Report, Milwaukee would be sending a package that includes Eric Bledsoe, Brook Lopez, and Ersan Ilyasova to the Thunder in exchange for Paul. To sweeten the deal, it may also require them to give up a future draft pick.
“Giannis’ shaky jumper and the fact that both stars need the ball to do what they do best makes this a potentially awkward fit, but high-end talent often overcomes slightly mismatched puzzle pieces. And it seems clear the Bucks need a jolt of such talent following their five-game ousting by the Miami Heat. In terms of satisfying the CBA, the contracts of Eric Bledsoe, Brook Lopez, and Ersan Ilyasova would get it done and open up significant flexibility for OKC. Milwaukee would then have a glaring need at center, but that shouldn’t dissuade it from upgrading to Paul.”
Despite his age, Paul would still be an incredible addition to the Bucks, giving them an upgrade at the point guard position. Though he’s older, there’s no doubt that CP3 is a much better floor general than Bledsoe. He doesn’t only have more playoff experience, he’s also capable of stepping up in crucial situations. If he manages to stay away from any major injury, his arrival in Milwaukee would undoubtedly boost their chances of making a deep playoff run in the 2020-21 NBA season.
Paul may not have shown any strong indication that he’s no longer happy with the Thunder, but at this point in his career, he would definitely be better off spending his remaining years in the league playing for a legitimate title contender. Compared to the Thunder, joining forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton in Milwaukee could give CP3 a realistic chance of winning his first championship ring next year.
