With the Phoenix Suns’ season over, the Washington Wizards might be in a decent position to conduct an offseason trade.
Throughout the 2022-’23 season, veteran point guard Chris Paul has been showing signs of major decline. Sure, he averaged 13 points, eight assists, and one steal but he only played in 59 games. Throughout the season, Paul suffered heel, hip, and groin injuries.
With Paul now 38 years old and going through injuries, the Suns might want to trade him. If they announce that Paul will be included in trade talks, the Wizards could try to grab him.
Even through his rough stages, Paul proved that he can still be somewhat of a reliable guard. This season, he passed the ball really well, averaging 57 passes a game while averaging just one turnover.
There are still questions regarding how Paul could help the Washington Wizards
He’s obviously not the same player he was with the New Orleans Pelicans/Hornets and Los Angeles Clippers. Back in the day, he was known for driving the ball into the paint for layups over the trees or kicking it out to shooters. This season, he averaged just nine drives a game.
Of course, he hasn’t had much playoff success and it’s not really his fault. He’s played with great players like James Harden, Blake Griffin, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Things just haven’t really panned out his way, mainly due to unavoidable injuries.
Not to mention, his low averages could be due to playing with stars Booker and Durant; however, we can’t ignore the fact that he slowed his pace down in a huge way.
Despite his flaws, there are still plenty of benefits to trading for Chris Paul
Paul is still one of the smartest basketball players in the NBA and someone who possesses a high-level basketball IQ. He knows the game of basketball and he’s great at creating plays to get his teammates involved. He still connects on his passes and can read defenses pretty well.
He is also a decent defender, particularly on the ball. He collected a total of 91 steals while recording 143 deflections.
But if the Wizards consider going after Paul, they might want to think twice and it’s not a knock on him.
The Wizards are already heavy in the point guard position. They have five of them on the roster; Monte Morris, Delon Wright, Jordan Goodwin, Kendrick Nunn (who is a free agent this offseason), and Quenton Jackson. They also have Devon Dotson, who currently plays on their G-League team, Capital City Go-Go.
All the good things Paul possess are what the Wizards already have. Morris is a great point guard who can find his way to the rim and Wright is a great floor general who can make plays out of the pick-and-roll. If Dotson joins the team, he can bring that low-post energy, reliable defense and has a decent 3-point shot.
Now, if the Wizards move forward with pursing a trade, not only could they lose a young point guard, but Kyle Kuzma will also most likely have to be traded via sign-and-trade. That’s too much talent to give up for a player who might not be playing in the league much longer.