It’s a bittersweet ending for Suns fans when it comes to talking about Chris Paul’s tenure with the team. Today the Suns traded for Wizards all-star guard Bradley Beal in exchange for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, second-round picks, and a pick swap.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!With that being said, this brings a sad ending to Chris Paul’s tenure with the Suns as the team can no longer take him back even if the Wizards were to waive him and he was free to get picked up and sign with another team.
For those asking, Chris Paul cannot re-sign with the Suns in the event Washington waives him. The CP3 era in Phoenix is officially over. Cannot say enough about what he did for this organization on and off the court. A no-brainer Ring of Honor guy, even after just 3 seasons
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) June 18, 2023
Paul’s time with the Suns will go down in the organization’s history as he helped turn a franchise around from mediocrity to perennial Finals contenders once he stepped foot on the court.
Phoniex Suns before Chris Paul arrived
2011 Missed Playoffs
2012 Missed Playoffs
2013 Missed Playoffs
2014 Missed Playoffs
2015 Missed Playoffs
2016 Missed Playoffs
2017 Missed Playoffs
2018 Missed Playoffs
2019 Missed Playoffs
2020 Missed Playoffs
pic.twitter.com/itUy9dRlg6— Ben Stinar (@BenStinar) June 18, 2023
Chris Paul as a Sun:
— 15.1 PPG
— 9.5 APG
— 2x All-Star
— 2x All-NBA
— 23 playoff winsWhere next? pic.twitter.com/pNJKa56FA4
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 7, 2023
Not to mention, Paul had his best performance back in 2021 when he dropped 41 points against his former team the Los Angeles Clippers to send the Phoenix Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993.
WCF Game 6-
Chris Paul:
41 Points (Playoff Career High)
16/24 FG
7/8 3PT
Eliminated the Clippers and clinched his 1st Finals appearance.It’s been real Point God.pic.twitter.com/0kdzhAxfr1
— RB (Ringless Bitch) (@RyB_311) June 18, 2023
Even though the Suns lost that NBA Finals to the Milwaukee Bucks, it doesn’t neglect the fact that Chris Paul had a tremendous tenure with the Suns and one could make the case that he deserves to be in the Suns’ ring of honor.
Chris Paul deserves immense credit and love from #Suns fans. He got to the NBA Finals in his first season and had a franchise record in regular-season wins the next season.
Has to be in consideration and probably deserves a Ring of Honor selection with the team.
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) June 19, 2023
Chris Paul should be inducted in Suns Ring of Honor for the three seasons he spent in Phoenix. It was a brief stint, but he helped turn the team from a basement dweller to a title contender from the time he was traded to Phoenix in November 2020.
— DANA (@iam_DanaScott) June 18, 2023
One of the cool things about Paul choosing to be traded to the Suns back in 2020, was his willingness to want to play with Devin Booker which catapulted other players to want to play alongside him now that he has Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant joining forces with him.
However, Paul’s craftiness and leadership specifically to young players like Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and Deandre Ayton, were one of the driving forces as to why the Suns ended up becoming the team that they are today.
