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Wizards to keep Chris Paul for the 2023-24 season?

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Updated20 Jun 2023

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Washington Wizards to keep Chris Paul for the 2023-24 season?

The Washington Wizards traded Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns this past Sunday for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, Jordan Goodwin, Isaiah Todd, multiple second-round draft picks, and a picks swap.

The Los Angeles Clippers are rumored to make a play to acquire Paul from Washington in the coming week. However, new Wizards G.M. Michael Winger could retain the 12-time All-Star as his team undergoes a rebuild.

According to a few NBA betting sites, the Wizards hold 28th-ranked odds to win next season’s championship in 2024. Sportsbooks are giving the Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, and Chicago Bulls better odds.


“Chris Paul is waiting now for the Washington Wizards to continue trade conversations around the league about expanding this two-way deal with the Suns into a three-way deal that perhaps could send Chris Paul to a contender,” reported ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

“If they’re not able to do this, Washington imagines a scenario I’m told, where Chris Paul is their point guard this season. They’re in a rebuild, they’re reshaping this roster. I don’t sense they’re trying to bottom out and really tank, tank.”

In July 2021, Paul signed a four-year, $120 million contract with Phoenix. Approximately $75,000,000 is fully guaranteed, and the guard’s annual average salary is $30 million.

Will the Washington Wizards trade Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers this offseason?

Earlier this month, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Paul has a potential future with either the Los Angeles Lakers or Clippers. Last week, Phoenix explored several options with the 18-year veteran, including a trade, stretching, or waiving and re-signing.

“I think Chris Paul’s future is in one of two places,” Windhorst said. “One is Los Angeles, be it the Lakers or the Clippers. Both teams potentially need a point guard; their point guards on both teams are free agents Russell Westbrook and D’Angelo Russell.”

Additionally, Paul played for the Clippers for six seasons from 2011 to 2017. In 409 starts, the guard averaged 18.8 points and 4.2 rebounds with L.A. The 11-time All-NBA member also averaged 9.8 assists, 2.2 steals, and 33.9 minutes per game.


In 59 starts with the Suns in the 2022-23 regular season, Paul averaged 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 32 minutes per game. CP3 also shot 44% from the floor and 37.5% beyond the arc. He finished 20th in steals (91) and 12th in steal percentage (2.4%) as well.

After the Bradley Beal trade, Kristaps Porzingis is now the highest-paid player with the Wizards. Porzingis’ cap figure for 2023-24 is $36,016,200. This amount is 18.02% of the team’s salary cap next season, if the 7-foot-3 forward/center stays put.

This percentage depends on the league’s salary cap for the 2023-24 season. Plus, Beal is owed $207,740,400 over the next four years with Phoenix. This is part of the five-year, $251.02 million max extension he signed with Washington last July. Freeing up cap space was the goal.

Meanwhile, Kyle Kuzma has a $13 million player option for 2023-24. Kuzma has until this Saturday, June 24 to exercise his option with the Wizards. It’s unlikely that Paul, Porzingis, and Kuminga will be playing together.

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