Chris Paul returns to Suns on four-year, $120M contract

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Paul returns to Suns on four-year contract worth up to $120M

Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Vincent Frank | Last updated 8/2/21

After opting out of his $44.2 million salary for the 2021-22 season, the expectation has been that Chris Paul would return to the defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns in free agency.

That’s now come to fruition. According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports, Paul is indeed returning to the desert on a four-year contract that could pay him up to $120 million in cold-hard cash.

BREAKING NEWS: Free agent star Chris Paul reaches agreement with Phoenix Suns on four-year, up to $120 million contract that will expire when he’s 40, league sources tell @YahooSports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 2, 2021

Paul, 36, was absolutely brilliant as Devin Booker’s running partner in his first season with the Suns. The 11-time All-Star averaged 16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists on 50% shooting from the field.

Chris Paul and his veteran presence helped pave the way for Phoenix to put up its best single-season performance since being ousted by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 1993 NBA Finals.

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While Phoenix fell short of its ultimate goal in the championship round against the Milwaukee Bucks, the 2020-21 campaign was a tremendous success.

By signing Paul to a four-year contract, the Suns are hoping that he can still play at a high level into his late 30’s and early 40’s. That is a major gamble for up-and-coming general manager James Jones. But it’s a gamble worth taking.

This article first appeared on Sportsnaut and was syndicated with permission.

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