Suns to Cut Chris Paul; Will They Sign-&-Trade For Mavs’ Kyrie Irving in Free Agency?
After trading for Kevin Durant before this season’s trade deadline, the Phoenix Suns went on to lose to the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs — a series that wasn’t nearly as competitive as the 4-2 margin might indicate.
Due to back-to-back massive postseason disappointments in the second round, big changes are being made in Phoenix. Monty Williams, who won Coach of the Year last season, was fired, Deandre Ayton has been in numerous trade rumors, and now, according to a report from Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes, the Suns are planning to waive veteran point guard Chris Paul.
From a Dallas Mavericks’ perspective, there’s two ways of looking at this situation. On one hand, Paul would make a lot of sense for the Los Angeles Lakers if he ultimately signs with them, and that would take L.A. all the way out of the Kyrie Irving free agency sweepstakes. On the other hand, the Suns will now need a new starting point guard, and they reportedly tried to trade for both Irving and Kevin Durant at the same time in February.
And about those Ayton trade rumors? The Mavs have been a part of many of them, being that they need an upgrade at the starting center position and Ayton shares the same agent as Luka Doncic in Billy Duffy. Theoretically, Dallas could still trade for Ayton without Irving making his way to Phoenix, but it’s something to keep an eye on nonetheless.
Irving has ‘expressed desire’ to re-sign with the Mavs, and owner Mark Cuban and company have made that their top priority of the offseason. Irving has recently put on his recruiting cap for the Mavs as well, as he’s gauged LeBron James’ interest in coming to Dallas.
But regardless of all that, nothing is final until the ink is dry on a new deal. Perhaps no other team in the league knows this better than the Mavs.
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