Chris Paul apparently wanted nothing to do with the 76ers.
Paul, who’s currently leading the Suns to one of their best seasons yet, threw the 76ers for a loop when he chose to join Devin Booker in Phoenix in November 2020, according to The Athletic. Phoenix (43-18) is currently the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, one game behind the Jazz.
The report stated that the 76ers made a “spirited push” to acquire Paul from the Thunder in the offseason, but the future Hall of Famer thought the Suns were “the best fit professionally and personally.” The 76ers thought they had traction towards a trade, but the interest from Paul “was not mutual.”
That was despite the fact that Daryl Morey, the GM who traded for Paul with the Rockets, and Doc Rivers, who coached Paul with the Clippers, are now running the 76ers franchise.
In fact, Morey’s presence could have played a role in Paul wanting to avoid Philadelphia. Paul was blindsided when Morey traded him from the Rockets to the Thunder for Russell Westbrook two offseasons ago. Paul said that Morey specifically told him he would not be traded to the Thunder.
“I think a lot of guys in this league, you play for a while and you feel like the team at least owes you a conversation, you know what I mean? Like, of course they can do whatever they want to,” Paul told the website. “You’re under contract, but just to have a conversation with you is respectful enough, I feel. So when that didn’t happen in Houston, it was what it was.”
The Thunder were seen as a rebuilding team, but Paul willed them to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and a first-round, seven-game loss to the Rockets inside the Orlando bubble. Paul mentored young players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, while cultivating a professional, fun culture the Thunder hadn’t seen in some time.
Following a successful run, the Thunder traded Paul to his desired location last offseason.
Paul, 35, is playing so well this season — averaging 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists — that he’s received some MVP consideration. And with both the Suns and 76ers sitting as the No. 2 seed in their respective conferences, there’s a chance he could be on a collision course with the team he rejected in the offseason.