Lakers Free Agent Target Chris Paul Traded to Wizards in Blockbuster Deal for Bradley Beal
Chris Paul is no longer a Phoenix Sun!
One of your Los Angeles Lakers' chief rumored trade targets this summer is en route to the Washington Wizards as part of a deal for another, three-time All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that a package comprising Paul, combo guard Landry Shamet, a few second round draft selections and some pick swaps are being offloaded in the deal. Beal lifted the no-trade clause in his five-year, $251 million maximum contract to finalize the exchange.
To make the money work in the exchange, Paul will see an additional $10 million in guaranteed salary head to his bank account, and will thus earn at least $25.04 million next season, per Marc Stein.
His long-term fate in Washington remains unclear. As Stein writes, if the Wizards waive Paul -- which seems quite possible -- ahead of the start of the season, the Lakers are still considered to be a prime contender for his services. Thanks to CBA restrictions, Paul will not be able to re-sign with Phoenix , per Bobby Marks of ESPN.
The Suns had been considered one of the finalists for Beal's services, along with the Miami Heat, but The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson reports that, though the Heat did tender a trade offer to Washington, the Suns appeared to be more interested in obtaining Beal.
Paul, 38, appeared to suffer something of a decline last year. The oft-injured point guard was healthy for just 59 contests, averaging 13.9 points on .440/.375/.831 shooting splits, 8.9 dimes, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals a night.
Beal, 10 days shy of 30, is now off the table for LA, though the possibility of dealing for him always felt a bit dicey. The Lakers did, after all, just wrap up its experience with Beal's old Wizards teammate Russell Westbrook, another past-his-prime backcourt star who often hogs the rock to the detriment of his team and is relatively averse to defense.
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