The Houston Rockets may need to open their wallets wide in order to hang on to veteran point guard Chris Paul, who is slated to be a free agent this summer.
Paul, who just played out the final year of his contract by activating his player option following a trade from the Clippers to the Rockets last summer, isn't likely going to take a pay cut as he gears up for perhaps one final mega deal in the twilight of his career. The 33-year-old will command big money that will cost Houston some serious cash.
And according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Rockets made the deal last summer knowing full well that this bridge would eventually need crossing. Here's what Wojnarowski said of Paul's upcoming free agency on The Woj Pod.
"When the Rockets made that deal for Chris Paul with the Clippers, knowing they would re-sign him in free agency, I think they made a conscious decision that they were gonna have to live with $46, $47 million-a-year salary when he's not nearly the player anymore in his late 30s, but, 'We're gonna make a run at it now; we wanna win a championship now. We'll deal with it [Paul's contract] later.'
"We'll see how that plays out in their contract talks here in free agency. But Chris Paul didn't turn down $200 million from the Clippers because he thought that somehow the Rockets were gonna talk him into saving them luxury-tax money. I don't imagine it playing out that way."
Paul's fit in Houston was seamless alongside MVP frontrunner James Harden. He averaged 18.6 points, 7.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game in guiding the Rockets to the NBA's best record this season. Paul helped lead the team all the way to the Western Conference finals before a hamstring injury late in Game 5 ended his series and, ultimately, the Rockets' season as they lost the final two games to Golden State.
Paul won't be the only Houston contract that will need to be addressed this offseason. Trevor Ariza, a key piece to the Rockets' defensive efforts this past season, is also slated to be a free agent this summer along with Luc Mbah a Moute. Clint Capela will be in a similar boat as he enters restricted free agency, where he could garner big offers Houston may be pressed to match.
That means roster maneuvering is on the horizon for Houston, especially if it wants to make a run at premium free agents this summer such as LeBron James or Paul George. If Paul does end up signing a max deal to stay with the team, as it seems he may command, it may preclude the Rockets from being a real contender in the free agent market this summer.
