Rockets may not be able to afford re-signing Chris Paul
When the Rockets traded for Chris Paul last summer, most assumed the team had a handshake deal to max him out this summer. New ownership may change that.
Many people believe that if Chris Paul had remained healthy for the duration of the Western Conference Finals then the Houston Rockets would have defeated the Golden State Warriors. Unfortunately for Rockets fans, they’ll never know what might have been. Even worse news for the Houston faithful is that the Rockets’ ownership may not be able to afford giving Paul a maximum extension.
Chris Broussard told Skip Bayless on UNDISPUTED that Houston’s new owner, Tillman Ferttita, isn’t excited about the prospect of handing Paul a massive new contract. Broussard believes Ferttita might instruct GM Daryl Morey to go back to Paul’s camp and inform then that ownership will not approve a maximum extension. Such a deal would hand the veteran point guard $205 million over the next five years. There are obvious concerns about whether or not Paul can continue to play up to that deal as he enters his late-30s.
If there was a handshake agreement with previous owner Leslie Alexander to give Paul that contract, expect his camp to explode in anger upon hearing it’s no longer a certainty. It’s very probable Paul wouldn’t have agreed to extend his deal last season and accept a trade to Houston without assurances about what he’d be paid in the future.
“From what I’m told, there is tension now between Houston and Chris Paul...”@Chris_Broussard breaks down NBA free agency pic.twitter.com/3wzpDUaNQJ
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) June 22, 2018
In the end, the odds in this situation still favor Paul remaining in Houston. He really values winning and it’s hard to imagine a better chance to win the title next season than what he’ll enjoy with the Rockets. A supporting cast of Harden, Clint Capela and potentially a big name free agent might be enough to get Houston past Golden State next season.
This is still a situation that bares watching as we enter the early days of free agency. If Houston balks at giving Paul what he wants, the player’s pride might come into play. That could open the door for surprise suitors to jump into the mix. It could even open the door for Paul to build a superteam somewhere else. You shouldn’t entirely discount his friendship with LeBron James either.
Next: NBA Draft 2018: Grades for all 30 teams
Free agency is just getting heated up and Chris Paul’s drama with the Rockets could set off a frenzy of activity. NBA fans need to strap themselves in. This summer is going to be a bumpy ride.