Report: Suns Finalizing Deal to Acquire Chris Paul

The Suns are finalizing a deal to acquire Thunder All-Star guard Chris Paul, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Suns are sending Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2022 first-rounder to Oklahoma City in exchange for Paul. The Suns' future first heading to the Thunder is protected 1–12 in 2022, 1–10 in 2023, 1–8 in 2024 and unprotected in 2025, according to The Athletic.

ESPN reports Phoenix will also receive Abdel Nader in the deal.

Paul, 35, averaged 17.6 points, 6.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds during the 2019–20 season. His efforts helped the Thunder secure the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and helped the veteran guard earn his 10th All-Star selection and a second team All-NBA selection.

Paul is slated to earn $41.35 million in the upcoming 2020–21 season with a $44.2 million player option in the 2021–22 season. 

“I’m 35 and I just finished my 15th year. Any team that I’m on I think that we’re competing for a championship," Paul said, when asked by Sports Illustrated's Robin Lundberg about his future and what he brings to a team. "And that’s the way we felt this year with OKC. We had a very, very special team and that’s why I think I was hurt and just so mad when we lost."

In joining the Suns, Paul arrives at a franchise that went undefeated in the NBA's bubble, winning all eight of its games. However, Phoenix still failed to make the Western Conference playoffs. Paul will also join Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton in forming the core of Phoenix's new roster. 

Rohan Nadkarni: Chris Paul on the Suns Is Chaotic Good

The veteran guard briefly played under Suns coach Monty Williams in New Orleans. 

With Paul, the Suns will be looking to make their first postseason appearance since 2009-10.

The Thunder were eliminated in the first round of the postseason and recently promoted assistant coach and former Oklahoma City Blue head coach Mark Daigneault to head coach. 

On Sunday, the Thunder also reportedly agreed in principle on a deal with the Lakers to send Dennis Schröder to L.A. in exchange for the No. 28 pick in the upcoming draft.