We compiled a group of individuals (programming note: 30 entries, not 30 people total) who mean something special to SLAM and to our audience. Read the full list here and order your copy of SLAM 248, where this list was originally published, here.

I called Chris Paul the “Forrest Gump of the post-2005 NBA” in a 2020 cover story about him. I think that’s pretty self-explanatory but figured I should spend some time here to explain that, because it sets the table for the reason CP3 is on this list.

Let’s quickly run through what earned him that distinction. In 2005, he’s drafted by New Orleans, but due to destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina, he spends most of his first two NBA seasons playing home games in Oklahoma City. In NOLA, he becomes homies with Lil Wayne, becomes an All-Star, becomes arguably the best PG in the League, becomes a playoff contender. Then he’s traded to the Lakers, un-traded by David Stern (I can’t emphasize enough how big a deal this was on 2011 NBA Twitter), then traded to the Clippers, becoming the heart of Lob City (another massive part of early 2010s NBA Twitter) and a perpetual postseason contender. He becomes president of the NBA Players Association, signs a long-term contract, and then the Donald Sterling racist audio incident happens, and he’s in the middle of that saga. Eventually he’s traded to Houston, then OKC. Then Covid happens, and Chris is in the middle of setting up the Bubble, lowkey a huge national public health story. Then, while in the Bubble, the Jacob Blake shooting takes place, and Chris—literally on national TV before a Thunder-Rockets game is about to tip—is a part of the group that holds the players off the court, and later as PA president, is the head of the group that figured out how to infuse social justice messaging and action into the NBA’s infrastructure. He leads the Thunder on an impressive run in the Bubble, then later joins the Suns, where he leads the team to the Finals, and is on the team when there’s another racist owner situation with Robert Sarver, who later sells the franchise.

A couple years pass and then CP3 joins the Warriors, where he’s currently attempting to help push the Steph-Klay-Dray group toward another ring. Along the way he played an iconic commercial character (Cliff Paul), amassed 22,000+ points and 11,000+ assists, made 12 All-Star teams and the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team and dropped 13 signature sneakers with Jordan Brand. And he was on the banana boat, because of course he was. The guy is everywhere.

“Forrest Gump of the post-2005 NBA”—undeniably accurate. But that’s not alone enough to make it to this list, because this is the “30 Players Who Defined SLAM’s 30 Years,” and if there wasn’t a direct SLAM connection, Chris would just be a guy who was around the NBA universe for a while, paying us no mind. But CP3 paid us plenty mind. He was first featured in SLAM in April 2003 as a high schooler with a one-page PUNKS article in the back of the mag; his brother CJ once told me that his family had that page framed in their house.

He was on his first SLAM cover in 2006, his second in 2008, his third in 2009, his fourth in 2011, his fifth in 2012 (alongside Blake Griffin), and his sixth in 2020. In his prime, he had a fun, uptempo point guard game that a magazine like SLAM was practically created to celebrate, and in his veteran years, he’s been a methodical game manager who almost exclusively plays on teams we cover deep into the playoffs. He was always relevant in the sneaker world—the aforementioned 13 sigs—and he was early in the tunnel fit game, becoming an @LeagueFits regular during our fashion account’s salad days. (The three hoodies he wore in his most recent cover shoot were produced in collaboration with SLAM and LeagueFits and sold on slamgoods.com, with the profits going to charity.)

A player who’s seemingly everywhere, finding his way into every crevice of basketball culture and NBA happenings for almost two decades, and a publication that covers every crevice of basketball culture and NBA happenings for exactly three decades. It makes perfect sense that the two would have a great, symbiotic relationship.

So, of course Chris was going to be on this list. The guy is everywhere. 

Photo via Getty Images. Portrait by Kyle Hood.

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 “We didn’t get the outcome we wanted, but it was a great experience,” Collier says after his Wheeler (GA) High squad fell to SoCal power Sierra Canyon at USC’s Galen Center while 2 Chainz, Lil Dicky, Caleb Williams and other luminaries looked on. “Seeing all those celebrities courtside, the attention leading up to the game, it was new to me, and it was definitely intense. But it was great.”

The crowd was drawn in large part by a Sierra Canyon roster dotted with names like Hardaway, Pippen and James, of course, but the savvy fans in the building knew all about Collier, too. The 6-4, 205-pound lead guard is a consensus top-five player in the 2023 class—and depending on which ranking you check, you might just find him at No. 1. He didn’t have his best game in L.A., but even on an off night—he scored 17 in the loss—he showed plenty of signs of the skill set that made him arguably the most coveted prospect in the country.

The Trojans secured Collier’s commitment last November, and also signed his Wheeler teammate, top-60 big man Arrinten Page. They’re now a squad that could challenge for Pac-12 and national honors next spring. For Collier, the draw of L.A. was less about bright lights and famous fans than the chance to be near family and thrive in a system perfectly suited to his game.

“I got a lot of family out there—my brother and uncle, a lot of my cousins, they’re really all in L.A.,” he says. “And definitely Coach [Andy] Enfield, the program they have, I want to help get them to a Final Four and play that style they ran back at Florida Gulf Coast. I still watch those ‘Dunk City’ March Madness highlights on YouTube—all the dunks.”

Collier is indeed the sort of player a coach can build a championship contender around. Strong and savvy, he’s an athletic guard and great passer who plays aggressive but under control. Asked to name role models for his game, he offers the unlikely combination of Chris Paul—“his high IQ, getting teammates involved, the way he uses the pick and roll”—and Ja Morant—“a little bit, not as athletic, but always attacking the rim.”

Collier won’t call his game “complete” just yet—in particular, he knows his jump shot is still a work in progress—but he’s shown more than enough on some of the biggest stages at the prep level to justify the lofty ranking and high expectations. It was his run last summer that confirmed just how good he is and could still be. Coming off a knee injury, he snatched MVP honors at both Stephen Curry Camp and Under Armour Elite 24, then dominated on the EYBL circuit. He still has unfinished business at Wheeler—a state championship was understandably at the top of his senior year to-do list—but as far as individual high school résumés, Collier’s is stacked.

That résumé brings welcomed benefits—like the coveted photo shoot, seen here, he wrapped up a couple of days before our call—as well as attention that could derail a player lacking his focus and family support system. But in either case, Collier is good. “I’d say it’s a blessing, but I don’t really pay attention to all that,” he says. “It’s great to be recognized, and it’s also having a target on your back, getting everybody’s best game. But it doesn’t really impact me. I’ve got bigger goals in mind.” 

Portraits by Matt Odom.

The post National Player of the Year Isaiah Collier on Committing to USC, Handling the Spotlight and Making His Game Complete appeared first on SLAM.

Whether a player says it or not, going against a former team is always a big deal. However, it is an even bigger deal to make history against them. With about 10:50 left in the first quarter, Paul threw up a lob that Deandre Ayton slammed home to give Paul the 11,000th assist in his career!

With that assist, Paul now sits in the company of two other elite point guards, Jason Kidd and John Stockton, who are the only three players in the NBA to accomplish this feat. Record-wise, Stockton is still the all-time NBA assist leader with 15,806, followed by Kidd with 12,091, and CP3 with 11,009.

“I honestly didn’t have a clue until I checked out of the game,” Paul said when asked when he found out about his historic achievement.

Paul then went on to credit a few of his teammates.

“I’ve been fortunate to play for a while now with a lot of great shooters, great players in general,” Paul then reeled a couple of names such as David West, Peja Stojakovic, and Devin Booker. “I’m privileged.”

Suns Coach Monty Williams even chimed in on Paul’s historic night.

“It’s amazing, I look at him, and I’m like, ‘holy smokes, I get to coach Chris Paul.'”

In addition, Paul is now the only NBA player in history to have over 20k points and 11k assists. That is a record fit for a true Point God. It is about time we gave Paul his flowers and credit for playing the point guard position with such finesse, craftiness, and humbleness. Shout out to CP3! We are all looking forward to seeing how far Phoenix can go with such a great vet on their squad.

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Per the Arizona Republic, Najafi wrote, “in accordance with my commitment to helping eradicate any form of racism, sexism and bias, as vice chairman of the Phoenix Suns, I am calling for the resignation of Robert Sarver.”

In response to both the NBA’s punishment and the report released by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, the law firm that carried out Sarver’s investigation, Najafi stated, “the conduct [Sarver] is alleged to have committed has stunned and saddened me and is unacceptable.”

The Suns’ minority owner “has no interest in becoming a managing partner,” but he cannot “sit back and allow our children and future generations of fans to think that this behavior is tolerated because of wealth and privilege.” 

Alongside vice chair Sam Garvin, who will serve as the Sun’s interim Governor during Sarver’s one-year suspension, Najafi wrote that they will “will work tirelessly to ensure the next team steward treats all stakeholders with dignity, professionalism, and respect.”

Najafi went on to apologize to “all whose lives and professions have been impacted” and reiterated his personal commitment to helping “eradicate any form of racism, sexism, and bias, which is unacceptable anywhere in our society.” Nafaji’s open letter joined the chorus of several NBA figures who expressed that Sarver’s actions have no place in the League and that his punishment didn’t fit his crimes.

Najafi’s resolute call for Sarver’s resignation joins the sentiments of statements from LeBron James, Chris Paul, and NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio. 

The post Suns Vice Chair Jahm Najafi Calls for Robert Sarver’s Resignation in Open Letter appeared first on SLAM.

In the wake of the NBA’s judgment, LeBron James, Suns point guard and former players union president Cris Paul, and the NBPA all issued their own statements about the suspension and fine. Paul said he was “horrified and disappointed” by the report from the Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz law firm that conducted the investigation.

I am of the view that the sanctions fell short in truly addressing what we can all agree was atrocious behavior. My heart goes out to all of the people that were affected.

— Chris Paul (@CP3) September 15, 2022

Although James “loves this League” and “deeply respects our leadership,” he believes that the “League definitely got this wrong.” James went on to say that “there is no place in this League for that kind of behavior,” explicitly rallying against “misogyny, sexism, and racism in any workplace.”

behavior. I love this league and I deeply respect our leadership. But this isn’t right. There is no place for misogyny, sexism, and racism in any work place. Don’t matter if you own the team or play for the team. We hold our league up as an example of our values and this aint it.

— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 14, 2022

The NBPA, led by Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio, also released a statement. Like James, Tremaglio said Sarver’s “reported actions and conduct are horrible” and that Sarver’s workplace misconduct “have no place in our sport or any workplace for that matter.” Tremaglio took over leadership as the players union leader after Michele Roberts retired in September 2021.

Yesterday the NBA released the findings from the independent investigation by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz involving Suns Governor Robert Sarver.

Mr. Sarver’s reported actions and conduct are horrible and have no place in our sport or any workplace for that matter.

— Tamika Tremaglio (@ttremaglioNBPA) September 15, 2022

All issues that led to a toxic work environment for well over a decade.

I have made my position known to Adam Silver regarding my thoughts on the extent of the punishment, and strongly believe that Mr. Sarver should never hold a managerial position within our league again.

— Tamika Tremaglio (@ttremaglioNBPA) September 15, 2022

After the League met with its Board of Governors in New York, League commissioner Adam Silver knew that the NBA’s independent investigation would garner those responses. He’s even admitted to having “private conversations” about what the independent investigators found. He also said he would give players leeway “to speak directly about how they feel.”

“I’d only say disheartening,” said Silver in describing the players’ reaction to the investigation’s findings, per Arizona Central. “Same reaction I’ve had in many cases. I think these are — I think saddened, as I was, I think, for those players to see that we continue to deal with these issues.

“Look, I think it’s no secret this is a league where roughly 80 percent of our players are Black. More than half our coaches are Black. I will say that none of them maybe are as shocked as I am, living their lives, that I don’t think they’re reading this saying, oh, my God, I can’t believe this happens.”

Sarver, the majority owner of the Suns and Mercury, was fined $10 million and suspended for a year for “workplace misconduct and organizational deficiencies” that were found during a 10-month investigation over his 18-year tenure as a Suns team owner. Phoenix has 14 players that are either Black or mixed race out of their 16-man roster. The Suns also employ a Black head coach (Monty Williams) and general manager (James Jones).

In a separate statement Sarver released on Tuesday, Sarver said that he disagreed with “some of the particulars” that the investigators found but ultimately accepts “the consequences” of the League’s decision.

“Good leadership requires accountability,” Sarver said in a statement released by the Suns. “For the Suns and Mercury organizations, that begins with me. While I disagree with some of the particulars of the NBA’s report, I would like to apologize for my words and actions that offended our employees. I take full responsibility for what I have done. I am sorry for causing this pain, and these errors in judgment are not consistent with my personal philosophy or my values.”

Silver also said he didn’t have “the right” to take away the Suns and Mercury from Sarver. While Sarver is banned from participating in any NBA or WNBA team activities, including games, practices, or business partner activity, he will be compelled to complete a training program focused on respect and appropriate conduct in the workplace.

“In terms of future behavior, there’s no question he is on notice,” Silver continued. “He knows that. I also think, though, if you look at the chronology of the report, most of this activity goes back, most of the inappropriate activity goes back many years.”

The Suns begin their season against the Dallas Mavericks on Oct. 19.

The post NBPA Reacts to Robert Sarver’s Fine and One-Year Suspension For ‘Deplorable Behavior’ appeared first on SLAM.

The investigation found that Robert Sarver was guilty of many offenses, including sexual harassment, racial prejudice, unequal treatment of female employees, and verbal abuse.

The NBA said Sarver “engaged in instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees, made many sex-related comments in the workplace, made inappropriate comments about the physical appearance of female employees and other women, and on several occasions engaged in inappropriate physical conduct toward male employees.”

The NBA found that Sarver “engaged in demeaning and harsh treatment of employees, including by yelling and cursing at them.”

The independent investigation from the NBA also revealed that Sarver was guilty of saying the N-Word “on at least five occasions” when recounting the statements of others. 

Most of the Phoenix Suns employees under investigation for engaging in workplace misconduct over the last 18-years were no longer employed by the Suns organization by the beginning of the NBA’s independent investigation. The terms of Sarver’s suspension dictate that he is barred from being present at any NBA or WNBA facility and that he may not attend or participate in any NBA or WNBA event or activity. 

The Phoenix Suns released a press release last October before the investigation into their workplace practices to deny any allegations of workplace misconduct by anyone in the Phoenix Suns front office.

The investigation was based on information gathered from 320 individual interviews and over 80,000 documents. Sarver’s suspension is the latest in the NBA’s effort to hold owners accountable for their actions. 

The post NBA Suspends Suns and Mercury Owner Robert Sarver For One Year appeared first on SLAM.

Banchero joins a Jordan Brand family that includes Chris Paul, Bradley Beal, Luka Doncic, Carmelo Anthony, Bam Adebayo, Jayson Tatum, Russell Westbrook, and of course, Michael Jordan.

Banchero was grinding in the Summer League with the Zion 2s and Air Jordan 36s this year.

Banchero played two Summer League games before Orlando decided to shut him down. In those two contests, Banchero showed why he was the top overall pick coming out of Duke as he averaged 20 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game.

Banchero won ACC Rookie of the Year and was a consensus first-team All-American after scoring 17.2 points a game during his lone season at Duke.

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2021-22 All-NBA teams:

First: Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum

Second: Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, DeMar DeRozan

Third: Karl-Anthony Towns, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Trae Young, Pascal Siakam

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 25, 2022

Although Jokic is the reigning MVP, he wasn’t the leading vote-getter for All-NBA First Team, Antetokounmpo was. The Greek Freak received all 100 votes for one of the forward spots on the First-Team. Jokic and Joel Embiid, who finished as runner-up for the ’21 and ’22 MVP, split votes as the First-Team center. Embiid ended up being named as the center for the Second-Team.

Antekounmpo was not only the lone unanimous All-NBA selection this season, but he also became the first player over the last 50 years to be a unanimous selection to the All-NBA First Time in four consecutive seasons, according to ESPN Stats and Information research.

Doncic became the fourth player in NBA history to earn his third First-Team selection before turning 24-years-old, joining Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, and Max Zazlofsky. Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Doncic were joined by Jayson Tatum and Devin Booker. According to the NBA, this is the first time since 1954-55 that the First-Team comprises players at least 27-years-old or younger.

Booker and Tatum earned the First-Team nod for the first time in their career. This is the first overall All-NBA selection for Booker and Tatum’s second nod. Tatum is the first Celtic to make All-NBA First-Team since Kevin Garnett did it in 2008. He’s also the youngest Celtic to earn an All-NBA First-Team selection since Larry Bird in 1980.

The Second-Team is rounded out by Stephen Curry, Ja Morant, DeMar DeRozan, and Durant. Chris Paul, Trae Young, LeBron James, Pascal Siakam, and Karl-Anthony Towns filled out the Third-Team. James picked up his record 18th All-NBA nod, placing him ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan for most All-NBA picks, and became the first player in League history to make the All-NBA in his 19th+ season.

Paul is the first guard since Bryant to make an All-NBA team in his 17th+ season.

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According to Paul, he will return to play at least next season. The 37-year-old veteran point guard still has two years remaining on his contract. The next time Paul will test the market will be Summer 2025 when he’s 39-years old.

“We’ll be right back here next year,” Paul said, putting any retirement notion to bed. “I’m not retiring.”

Paul will be entering his 18th season in the NBA next season. CP3 has build a Hall-of-Fame career since getting drafted fourth overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the then-New Orleans Hornets. The only thing the former Wake Forest Demon Deacon hasn’t accomplished in illustrious career is win a title. He seems to still be game to win that elusive title after struggling against Dallas in the final five games of the series.

In Game 1 and 2, Paul averaged 23.5 points per game. In the final five, the 12-time All-Stat put up just 9.4 points per game. Paul will have a long offseason to rejuvenate his battery so he can help keep Phoenix at the top of the Western Conference hierarchy moving forward. The first order of business for the Suns’ front office will be signing restricted free agent Deandre Ayton to a long-term extension this summer.

The two sides were unable to come to terms on a deal last summer.

The post Chris Paul Won’t Retire After This Season: ‘We’ll Be Right Back Here’ appeared first on SLAM.

Paul scored 33 points on 14-14 shooting from the field, went 4-4 from the free-throw line, and sank his one and only attempt from beyond the arc. He also hauled in five rebounds and dished out eight assists. The 12-time All-Star became the first player in playoff history to make all 14 of his shots as he led the Suns back from a double-digit deficit.

CP3 scored his 33 points on seven different defenders, asserting his will on the Pelicans’ defense with his signature midrange jumper. Paul scored the dagger bucket with 28 seconds left on the clock when he knocked down 10-foot to give Phoenix a five-point lead.

“It’s unbelievably special; you have no idea how special it is for me,” said Paul, per ESPN. “I had no clue (I hadn’t missed). At halftime, I realized I might need to shoot a little bit more.”

pic.twitter.com/9TAysfbV9p

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 29, 2022

Paul’s perfect doesn’t happen without his pick-and roll partner, Deandre Ayton. Paul and the Suns erased a 10-point deficit in the third quarter after knocking down 13 of their first 14 shots. Paul hit six jumpers while Ayton (22 points, seven rebounds, and four assists) made two.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, Paul and Ayton shot a combined 24-26 from the field, the highest combined field goal percentage (92.3 percent) by a pair of teammates in a playoff game in the shot-clock era.

“I don’t believe in heat checks, I don’t shoot enough to take a heat check, and once I miss, I might be cold,” Paul said. “They were sort of letting me get to my spots.”

The Suns and Dallas Mavericks are set for a second-round showdown that begins on May 2 in Footprint Center.

The post Chris Paul Leads Suns Past First Round With Perfect Shooting Night appeared first on SLAM.

There were two plays that showed why Alvarado was rewarded with a four-year deal and has gained a reputation for his scrappy play on both ends of the floor. One came from when Alvarado picked Chris Paul’s pocket from behind.

Jose spawned in from behind. (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/GoYiMMXejl

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 25, 2022

The second big moment came when Alvarado picked the Wake Forest product 90 feet and forced CP3 into an 8-second violation while the Point God attempted to bring the ball across the halfcourt. Forcing the two turnovers had to be gratifying for the Georgia Tech product after Paul waved him earlier in the series.

“Couldn’t wave me off of that one,” Alvarado said. “I got him — that’s one thing I wanted to do, actually. I got him on my list.”

JOSE ALVARADO LOCKS DOWN CHRIS PAUL

8-second violation on the Point God pic.twitter.com/dVPfDIsY1p

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 25, 2022

The hustle and attitude of the Brooklyn-bred point guard garnered a resonating standing ovation from the NOLA fanbase.

“He’s one of the best guards out there. It’s all love. No disrespect. But I’m going to be there. I ain’t running away from no smoke. It’s nothing personal. I’m going to stand on my own. I’ll pick up fullcourt, make the game difficult for him.”

NOLA Jose Alvarado

(via @PelicansNBA) pic.twitter.com/IUjEw97kZp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 25, 2022

The Suns-Pelicans series moves back to Phoenix on Tuesday for Game 5.

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It was a reminder to both Williams—the youngest VP of the National Basketball Players Association—and women across the sports landscape of why the efforts of organizations like the NBPA are so vital. 

“We have to support our players because we want the best products on the court,” Williams tells us via Zoom. “See how it goes and see that the value of not only the W but how the value of the brand of the WNBA will grow.”

From the moment Williams stepped into the League out of Tennessee, the 23-year-old has been devoted to making the landscape easier to traverse for future players while growing their individual brands at the same time. 

As a rookie during the Players Association’s annual winter meeting during the 2019-20 season, Williams ran for a VP role in the executive committee against Karl-Anthony Towns and Kyrie Irving. Ultimately losing out to the now Brooklyn guard, Williams’ run planted the seeds within the minds of the Board of Representatives of the unique vision he could bring to the role. 

CJ McCollum, Andre Iguodala and Chris Paul all came up to Williams at the end of the meeting, expressing their support for the youngster and for his passion. “Don’t stop running, we would love to have you on this exec committee,” he recalls them saying.

Next thing he knew, Paul’s three-year term had come to an end, with McCollum consequently filling his shoes as the PA’s next president, leaving his VP seat vacated. 

This time around, Williams received five nominations: CP3, CJ, Andre, Jaylen Brown and one other vote. 

Since last August, Williams has been directly involved with the setup and installation of the social justice committee, which came out of the 2020 Bubble’s social movements and protests. Grant’s focus isn’t on what he can do for the players now. “It’s, What can I do for you when your career is done? What can I do for you when you first get into the League?”

“I’ve just been trying my best to learn and absorb all the information possible, but also impact and speak on my opinion and voice the issues of not only the younger players, but also players who are not in a position of the superstars, and the ones that make millions of dollars already,” Williams adds. 

He’s relatively new to the inner workings of the NBA, like dealing directly with the League office and the players he doesn’t yet have relationships with, but this new landscape has provided Williams opportunities to grow as a leader.

“If I can’t figure it out myself, I’m gonna find someone who can,” he says. “If I can’t help you out today, I’m gonna find a way to help you tomorrow. I feel like servant leadership. I feel like as a man, I’ve really embraced it.”

“Whether it’s the NBA, whether it’s mentoring, I feel like these are all things that are very valuable for the next generation. Because we’ve set ourselves up well as NBA players to make generational wealth,” Williams says. “Now it’s about helping those around us to do the same.” 

Photo Credit Richard Brooks NBPA and via Getty Images.

The post How Celtics’ Grant Williams is Making His Voice Heard as VP of the NBPA’s Executive Committee appeared first on SLAM.

Incredibly humbled to be appointed to President Biden’s HBCU Board of Advisors. Looking forward to working with this amazing group to continue to elevate these historical institutions. #HBCUlove pic.twitter.com/Zc5Im0Alqb

— Chris Paul (@CP3) March 31, 2022

According to the White House, the goal of the Advisory Board is to advance the HBCU Initiative, which the Carter administration started in 1980. The Biden Administration has committed more than $5.8 million towards supporting its financial commitment to HBCUs.

CP3 has become a well-known advocate of the HBCU community, co-producing Why Not Us, an eight-episode docuseries on ESPN that covered the North Carolina Central men’s basketball program. Spike Lee, Henson, and Jerry Lorenzo were also a part of the series. Paul was a part of the push to help start the inaugural NBA HBCU Classic featuring Morgan State and Howard.

Both schools received a $100,000 donation from the League and AT&T to support student-athletes continuing their education.

The 12-time All-Star also partnered with the Harvard Business School to bring its entertainment, media, and sports program to North Carolina A&T and will bring the program to other HBCUs in the future to help provide those opportunities in the same career fields. Paul was also partly responsible for starting voting initiatives to encourage HBCU students to vote.

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If he plays on Thursday, this will be CP3’s first taste of action since fracturing his right thumb on Feb. 16 when the Suns hosted the Rockets. After being ejected in the third quarter, Paul left the game and was seen grabbing his hand as he headed to the locker room.

Injury Report for 3/24 at DEN:@CP3 — Probable pic.twitter.com/iLp6VBIXAc

— y – Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 24, 2022

Shortly after he played in the All-Star Game, the Suns ruled him out and reportedly expected him to miss as many as six-eight weeks. Since CP3 went down, the Suns went 11-4. When healthy, Paul posted 14.9 points and 10.7 assists per game.

The Suns (59-14) have a chance to clinch the best record in the Western Conference and the League with a win over the Nuggets or if the Grizzlies lost to the Pacers on Thursday.

The post Suns Announce Chris Paul Is Probable to Return Against Nuggets appeared first on SLAM.

Just before the NBA All-Star break, superstar point guard Chris Paul fractured his thumb. Over the past few weeks in his absence, the Phoenix Suns have still played great, pulling away with the league’s best record at 58-14. 

However, Paul will be key for the Suns in the postseason as the look to make another trip to the NBA Finals. 

When is Paul expected to return to the lineup?

Over the weekend, Phoenix coach Monty Williams said that there still isn’t a timetable for Chris Paul’s return yet. However, he did mention that the 12-time All-Star is doing “more and more” in his recovery from a fractured thumb.

“I’d rather have him back sooner than later,” Williams added. 

Prior to his injury, Paul had averaged 14.9 points and 10.7 assists per contest in the 2021-22 season. One of the best point guards in the NBA, Phoenix will need him back if a championship is to be won. As talented as the Suns are from top to bottom, Paul is perhaps the most important player on the roster.  

With the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference essentially locked in, it makes sense for the Suns to be cautious in Paul’s return to action. 

The post Suns Coach Monty Williams Gives Update On Chris Paul Injury appeared first on SLAM.

It was just announced on TNT that Chris Paul has a right thumb avulsion fracture and will be re-evaluated in 6-8 weeks. The regular season ends seven weeks from today.

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) February 21, 2022

Paul averages 14.9 points and a League-high 10.7 assists per game for the Suns, who enter the second half of the season with a 48-10 record.

CP3 momentarily came off the bench for Team LeBron during the All-Star game nearly an hour after news of his injury broke on TNT. Paul was asked numerous times about the severity of his injury during media availability this weekend, admitting that he was frustrated about the ill-time broken thumb.

“We’re 48-10, and if we do miss some time, I know the guys are going to hold it down,” Paul said per ESPN. “There’s always going to be a frustration with injury. My hand surgeon is part of my family now.

“I always want to play. When I felt that in my hand, I was mad for all types of reasons,” Paul added. “Obviously, we’re not going to [rush it]. I’m going to try to heal as fast as physically possible. The second I’m able to play, I guarantee you I will be playing.”

The Suns are 6.5 games ahead of the Warriors and eight games ahead of the Grizzlies for the best record in the NBA, with 24 contests to go in the regular season. Phoenix has won 21 of their last 24.

The regular season ends seven weeks from Sunday, on April 10. The playoffs begin on April 16.

The post REPORT: Chris Paul Out 6-8 Weeks With Thumb Fracture appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday night, LeBron James and Kevin Durant – the two captains for the All-Star game – selected their teams for the All-Star Game taking place in just under two weeks.

Each captain had to select their starting lineups first and then select their reserves. Because Durant is injured and will not be playing in the game, nine players were available to be drafted instead of eight, with Jayson Tatum replacing Durant as a starter.

James opened the draft up by selecting Giannis Antetokounmpo first overall, with Durant using his first pick to draft Joel Embiid.

James rounded off his starting lineup by selecting Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Jokic. Durant’s starting lineup will consist of Embiid, Tatum, Ja Morant, Andrew Wiggins, and Trae Young. Wiggins and Young were the final two starters selected in the draft.

Between the two, Durant has the least experienced starting lineup with Wiggins and Morant, both first-time All-Stars and Young just in his second All-Star Game.

Durant got the first pick to open up the reserves section of the draft and used the pick to select Devin Booker, and James used his first pick to draft Luka Doncic.

Durant filled out his reserves by selecting Karl Anthony-Towns, Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, Khris Middleton, LaMelo Ball, and Rudy Gobert.

James reserves will be Darius Garland, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell, Fred VanVleet, and James Harden.

Harden was the last pick of the All-Star Draft, with Durant creating a funny moment where he opted against drafting his former teammate, who was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, to take Gobert instead.

The All-Star Game is scheduled to occur in Cleveland on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The post NBA All-Star Teams Set, Giannis Antetokounmpo Selected First Overall appeared first on SLAM.

Last night the two best teams in the League faced off, with the Suns outlasting the Warriors 104-96, tying the Suns’ franchise record of 17 consecutive wins. According to StatMuse, the Suns are 12-1 against opponents with a record of .500 and above, the best in the League.

After beginning the year off to a disappointing 1-3 start, the Suns went on a streak of sheer dominance, winning every single game in November.

Despite Devin Booker exiting the game in the first half with a hamstring injury, the Suns held on down the stretch thanks to Chris Paul’s ability to control the game’s pace during crunch time.

CHRIS PAUL TOO SMOOTH WITH IT. (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/tyKnakb1Yc

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 1, 2021

Paul finished with 15 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds on 7-13 shooting from the field and notching a team-high five steals. Deandre Ayton dominated the paint with a double-double, registering 24 points and grabbing 11 rebounds on the night.

Someone order a scoop? (via @Suns) pic.twitter.com/mPeHB00cyG

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 1, 2021

The Warriors and Suns are set for their rematch on Friday. If the Suns take the second game, they’ll become the sixth team in League history to go undefeated for an entire calendar month. The last team to accomplish the same feat was their opponent, the Golden State Warriors, who went a perfect 24-0 over November during the 2015-16 season.

No loss November

— Book (@DevinBook) December 1, 2021

The post Phoenix Suns Tie Franchise Record For Most Consecutive Wins at 17 appeared first on SLAM.

Kaminsky has stepped up and produced in the last three games in the absence of the Sun’s center, Deandre Ayton, who was ruled out until further notice with a right leg contusion.

As Kaminsky heated up against Portland, fans were in full support chanting what sounded like “let’s go tank” or “let’s go frank”.

While coming off the bench and filling in admirably for the injured Ayton, it looks like Kaminsky has no problem understanding the assignment :

“I want to be who I think I am,” Kaminsky says in a postgame interview following the dub according to Yahoo! Sports.

All five starters reached double figures with Chris Paul being the second-leading scorer in last night’s contest dropping 21 points, seven dimes, and four boards.

The Suns look to extend their win-streak against the Memphis Grizzles (6-5) Thursday

The post Frank Kaminsky Posts Career-High 31 Points In Suns Win appeared first on SLAM.

“It means a lot, man. I’m grateful and I thank god for this opportunity,” Paul said per the Arizona Republic.

“I say it all the time, not only to be on the team and still be in the league but to be playing. You know you don’t take that for granted. … But to be third, man, and still be playing, I’m grateful for it and still have a ways to go.”

Going into the matchup against the Pelicans, Paul was fifth all-time on the list, just six dimes behind Jackson and seven behind Nash. Paul pushed past Jackson at the end of the first quarter, giving a pass to Devin Booker, who then hit a 27-foot three-pointer.

Paul propelled past Nash with 1:34 left in the second from a dish to Jae Crowder, who scored a three-pointer from the right-wing. At 36-years-old and playing in his 16th season in the League, Paul has more time behind him than ahead. However, he has ways to go before catching up to Jason Kidd (12,091) and John Stockton (15,806) on the all-time assists list.

“When I first came into the League and I seen that John Stockton, I was like, ‘I’m gonna get it.’ That shipped sailed. That shipped sailed a while ago when I started missing all them games,” Paul told the Arizona Republic.

Still, this is just the latest milestone that CP3 has achieved so far this season. Just last month, he became the first player in NBA history to record 20,000 points and 10,000 assists in a win against the Lakers.

The Suns are now 3-3 and will play the Rockets on Thursday.

The post Chris Paul Passes Mark Jackson and Steve Nash For No.3 All-Time in Assists appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA lockout was in full effect and there was no end in sight. Inside the legendary Palestra, players were gathering for the love of the game in front of their adoring fans. The players included a two-time NBA MVP, two top-10 all-time leading NBA scorers, 
one top-five all-time NBA assists leader, one NBA Rookie of the Year, three NBA and NCAA champions and four Olympic Gold medalists. The Nike mantra of “Basketball Never Stops” was alive and on full display. 

The summer/fall of 2011 was like getting multiple releases on the Snkrs app for a basketball fan—a remarkable, rare occurrence. While the owners and players union were debating over finances, the stars of the League made sure they filled their fans’ thirst for affordable, high-level action across the country in DC, L.A., Baltimore, Oklahoma, New York and Philadelphia.

“That is what made the lockout games so great,” says Jamar Smiley, Director of Player Relations for BDA Sports Management. “The everyday fan was able to see [the stars] play without sacrificing a day’s pay.” 

The idea for the game in West Philadelphia started with some territorial trash talk between Carmelo Anthony and Hakim Warrick about which city, Baltimore or Philly, had better players. The two were teammates on Syracuse in 2003, when the program won a national championship. 

The vision started to become a reality on the night of Saturday, August 20, on the drive home from watching The Capital Punishment game in DC, where the Goodman League, led by Kevin Durant and John Wall, faced off against the Drew League, featuring James Harden and DeMar DeRozan. 

I contacted Skinny [Hakim Warrick] via Facebook messenger, who then put me in touch with Smiley. Smiley and I spoke, and roles began to be defined. I would handle the logistics of the game, Skinny and Melo would be team captains and oversee coordination with the players, and Smiley would be my day-to-day contact.

Once the team captains committed and the $25,000 contribution to their designated charities was confirmed, it was time to get to work. We had to secure the venue and an insurance policy, get product for the players and advertise for the game.

The first task was locking down the historical Palestra arena, which sits on the Ivy League campus of the University of Pennsylvania. The Palestra is considered the Cathedral of College Basketball, and legendary players such as Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have all stepped foot on its court.

“From our first conversation, the game had to be at The Palestra; there was no second option,” Warrick says. “Plus, it is right around the corner from where I grew up in the Bottom West Philly.”

I called Philadelphia basketball icon, two-time Ivy League Player of the Year and UPenn head coach Jerome Allen, who has known Skinny and I since we were both young.

Allen arranged for a series of meetings between the Palestra’s facility director, UPenn’s athletic director and myself. Penn administration met the idea of the game with skepticism, due to the uncertainty of when the lockout would end. I assured them the game would happen because there was no end in sight for the lockout. I was confident, since I had daily communication with Smiley, who worked for one of the most prominent NBA agents in Bill Duffy, who represented numerous NBA stars including Steve Nash and Yao Ming.

Other parts were moving outside of the UPenn meetings. Nike had confirmed that they would be the official product sponsor for the game, outfitting all the players. Urban retail store DTLR Sneaker Villa would pay for all the radio advertisements, along with acquiring the insurance policy. Ten days after the initial meeting with Penn’s administrators, a deal was put in place for the Palestra to host the game.

Once these parts were solidified, the announcement to the public was made, and interest for the game exceeded all of our expectations.

Streaming is a standard tool of viewership nowadays, but back in 2011, it was something new. The Basketball Channel, a new company, approached me about the idea of streaming the event via the internet using their partnership with Sports Illustrated. The event was now going global.

“The game became bigger than what we expected,” says Warrick, a 13-year NBA vet and the Team Philly captain. “This was before the explosion of social media. Between the venue and streaming, this wasn’t no pickup game at the rec.”

The date and time were picked based on the fact that the hometown Philadelphia Eagles were playing their NFC East rival New York Giants that afternoon at 1 pm. Our game was scheduled to start at 6. I knew this would be a dream sports day for Philly fans. The Eagles versus the Giants at 1. The lockout game at 6 at the Palestra. It doesn’t get any better.

It was a warm, fall day, with temperatures in the 60s, but inside, the Palestra was humid and hot like a summer barbeque in the middle of the afternoon. “You had a three-piece suit on,” Smiley says, laughing, remembering the day. “I don’t know how you did it; I had to take my rugby shirt off.”

Members of the Philly team started to arrive around 4:30. As Hakim Warrick, Lou Williams, Kyle Lowry, Flip Murray, Wayne Ellington, Tyreke Evans, Jason Thompson, Mark Tyndale, Mardy Collins, Dionte Christmas and Aaron Owens began to take the court to warm up, a buzz started growing. Only three members of Team Melo were on the court: Donte Greene, Josh Selby and Gary Forbes.

The remaining players were still nowhere to be seen or found as it approached 30 minutes before tip-off. Fans were beginning to worry if the game was even going to happen.

I wasn’t worried at all. I was in contact with Worldwide Wes [William Wesley, current Executive Vice President for the New York Knicks] the entire time. Melo, Bron and CP3 were at the Eagles-Giants game, and Wes had arranged for them to have a police escort to the arena.

At 5:45 pm, my BlackBerry rang. It was Worldwide Wes asking, “Where do we pull up at?” I instructed them to go through the back entrance. A fleet of black SUVs pulled up. First Chris Paul jumped out, then Carmelo, then LeBron. All three of them entered the Palestra and walked under the stands to the locker room. When the fans caught a glimpse of the trio, the arena erupted.

Finally, as the clock hit 6:15, legendary Philadelphia referee Keith “Showtime” Saunders tossed the ball up for the opening tip. Players on both teams competed as if it were Game 7 of the NBA Finals, with Team Philly winning, 131-122. But to basketball fans, there were no losers.

For those lucky few who got inside the hallowed halls of the Palestra, watching all of those future Hall of Famers—watching history—it was a once in a lifetime event. 

Rahim Thompson is the founder of The Chosen League, the Philadelphia-based high school summer basketball league whose alumni include Kyle Lowry, Gerald Henderson and Kyle Kuzma. His book, Choose Wisely, is available at nomattertheodds.com.

Photos courtesy of Michelle Hunter/The Chosen League.

The post How LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul Linked Up to Play in the Legendary Battle of I-95 Game appeared first on SLAM.

Chris Paul knocks down the free throw to reach 20,000 career points!

He becomes the only player in @NBAHistory with 20,000 points and 10,000 assists. pic.twitter.com/E2ryTafiz9

— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2021

Before CP3 accomplished the milestone, the only other players that had a chance to pass the 20,000 point, 10, assist plateau was Oscar Robertson, who finished with 9,887 assists, and John Stockton, who finished just short with 19,711 points.

Paul had 10,285 assists heading into the game and was 49 assists assists behind Mark Jackson for fourth place on the NBA’s all-time list.

The only player ever with 20,000 points and 10,000 assists…what a career it’s been thus far for NBA 75th Anniversary Team member, @CP3! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/FFRgI5clfo

— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2021

Paul, who also made the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team, had reflected on that accomplishment before making history.

“It means a lot,” Paul said on Friday. “I got a chance to go home yesterday with my family, my parents, my brother. Everybody sort of surprised me with, like, a Zoom toast with a lot of people who meant a lot [to me]. Especially to have my dad sitting right next to me meant a lot because my dad is the one who the ball in my hands, and I appreciate him for it.

“I’m just glad and grateful to be a part of it.”

Paul has career averages of 18.3 points, 9.4 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in 1,091 games.

The post Chris Paul Makes NBA History By Becoming First Player With 20,000 Points, 10,000 Assists appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA has been an avid supporter when it comes to celebrating and offering opportunities for Historically Black Colleges and Universities to be seen and represented positively. The NBA’s plan to promote these institutions will continue on to All-Star weekend and in the foreseeable future.

All-Star weekend will be held in Cleveland, Ohio and will feature a highly anticipated, televised matchup between Howard University and Morgan State’s men’s basketball teams. The NBA HBCU Classic will be held on Feb. 19 at the Wolstein Center, according to The Undefeated.

If you recall, former NBPA President Chris Paul was a leading voice in pushing for inclusivity among HBCUs, leading to $3 million being raised for these institutions during All-Star weekend earlier this year. Next year, the NBA’s goal is to donate at least $1 million for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the United Negro College Fund.

In addition to the exciting All-Star news, the NBA and WNBA, according to Forbes, will offer a new paid fellowship program next year. This program will offer hands-on professional, business experience with the League

“We have a long history of the values of our sport, being diversity, equity, and inclusion,” NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum says, per The Undefeated. “This is part of our DNA. We think there is so much opportunity here for Black youth. We want to help accelerate those opportunities for Black youth and graduates of HBCUs to get them access to and exposure into the sports industry. The business side of it. The operations side of it.”

The post The NBA Continues to Expand Relationship with HBCUs appeared first on SLAM.

Instead, he chose to re-sign with the Suns on a four-year deal worth up to $120 million. 

Paul recently spoke to Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY, saying the decision to stay in Phoenix was an easy one. 

“It was an easy decision. Not only did I love the basketball aspect, but I’m also close to family (in LA) and Phoenix is a family, too. I’m excited to be back there.” 

At age 36 last season, Paul was an NBA All-Star, averaging 16.4 points, 8.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. He’s still one of the best point guards in the entire NBA and will look to take the Suns deep into the playoffs once again this season. 

The post Chris Paul Says Decision To Stay In Phoenix Was Easy appeared first on SLAM.

The future Hall of Famer is fresh of off an appearance in the NBA Finals where a team that he led fell to two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks, and he’s still widely regarded one of the best players in the game even at a ripe age of 36.

However, before his time with the Phoenix Suns, Paul had a legitimate chance to reach the Finals for the first time in his career prior to 2021. Having been traded to the Houston Rockets in 2017, Paul became teammates with another future Hall of Famer in superstar guard James Harden. Nonetheless, despite the two-headed monster the two appeared to be on paper and could be between the lines of the basketball court, the Rockets were unable to capitalize on the potential of the duo.

Paul, who appeared on the No Chill Podcast with Gilbert Arenas, opened up about his time with the Rockets and the reasons why he felt they weren’t ale to achieve penultimate success:

“And the thing that frustrated me the most was that first year, I wasn’t healthy. It’s crazy. Them years in Houston are kind of a blur, to a certain extent, because there was so much going on at the time. But dang, we was good. We was real good.”

Paul also spoke up about playing alongside Harden:

“And James, I still say it, can’t nobody score the ball as he can. It’s crazy, man…I wouldn’t trade any experience or whatnot, but I wish we would’ve had some of those conversations. But most of all, I wish I would’ve been able to stay healthy.”

Paul has battled with injuries throughout most of his storied 16-year career. That being said, during his time in Houston, he was plagued by injuries; he would sustain an injury in both of the Rockets’ playoff runs that he was a part of.

This includes a Western Conference Finals series against the Golden State Warriors in 2018; one that the Rockets led 3-2 at one point.

He went on to miss the final two games due to a nagging hamstring injury, which many fans believed cost Paul and the Rockets a trip to the NBA Finals, as Houston fell in both contests.

Paul would eventually be traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2019 offseason, as his strained relationship with Harden fell under the microscope.

The post Chris Paul Opens Up About Brief Tenure with Houston Rockets appeared first on SLAM.

However, many had speculated that Paul might have been injured during the 2021 NBA Finals, and Paul himself recently confirmed as much in an interview with Time’s Sean Gregory.

During the interview, Paul says that he he underwent surgery on his wrist, marking the fourth time in his career he has had surgery on his hands.

“It’s my fourth hand surgery,” says Paul. “So one thing I know about is the mental aspect of rehab. I’m getting there.”

Paul’s injury noticeably hurt his production in the NBA Finals last year against the Milwaukee Bucks. However, he still was productive during the six game series, averaging 21.8 points and 8.2 assists per game on 55 percent shooting and 52 percent shooting from three.

Later on in the interview, Paul discussed how he wants his first trip to the NBA Finals not to be his last.

“Now that I’ve got a taste of what that experience is like…I’m sort of addicted.”

During the offseason, Paul recommitted to the Suns by way of a four-year $120 million contract extension that will keep him in Phoneix until he’s 40 years old.

Paul will be joined by the majority of the same roster next season, including Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges. They’ll look to make another run at an NBA Championship.

The post Chris Paul Discusses Impact of Offseason Wrist Surgery appeared first on SLAM.

Earlier this week, the team announced a new uniform for the 2021-22 season.  

The Suns organization said these uniforms are looking to the future and how they celebrate the communities and cultures that support them through uniform design, in this case their Mexican and Mexican-American fans.

According to the press release, the uniform boldly blends the grit, unity and history of the Aztec civilization, harnessing the prowess and battle-hardened strength of its people, and the influence it has had on Latin culture for centuries.

As Phoenix looks to make another NBA Finals run in the upcoming season, they’ll have a new set of meaningful threads to wear. 

The post Phoenix Suns Unveil New Aztec Uniform Concept appeared first on SLAM.

While the length of the contract has caused reasonable concern due to Paul’s age (36), FS1’s Ric Bucher reports that the third season of Paul’s contract is partially guaranteed while the final year is non-guaranteed.

One of the most decorated players of all-time, Paul’s trade to the Suns last season was seen as the primary catalyst for the team’s impressive run to the 2021 NBA Finals. Though Paul, Devin Booker and the Suns would eventually fall to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in six games, Phoenix proved themselves to be a formidable opponent from the start of the 2020-21 season to the finish.

The Suns obviously hope to recreate that magic by bringing back a point guard with a reputation for being as tough as he is intelligent, and as talented a player as he is dedicated to being a leader.

Paul averaged 16.4 points, 8.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game last season while shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from 3-point range. In the postseason, Paul would average 19.2 points, 8.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 44.6 percent from deep.

The post REPORT: Chris Paul Returns to Phoenix with Lucrative Four-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

“Get back to work. I ain’t retiring…”

Chris Paul after losing Game 6. pic.twitter.com/exjHrES5BP

— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) July 21, 2021

Now that the Finals are over, Phoenix’s offseason will be very busy working on rookie extensions for Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges. Suns backup point guard Cameron Payne will be a free agent as well. But Phoenix’s priorities start with the upcoming decisions of their starting point guard, Chris Paul. Paul can opt-out of $44.2 million player option for next season and become an unrestricted free agent.

CP3’s averages of 16.4 points, 8.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds for the Suns during his All-Star season helped Phoenix end a playoff drought that lasted a decade. He now has until August 1st to decide whether to opt-in and sign an extension once the free agency moratorium is lifted on August 6th or pursue other options like requesting a sign and trade. If he signs with Phoenix, he can only extend his contract for two years due to the NBA’s “Over 38” rule.

Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson shared his opinions on Chris Paul’s next move on Twitter.

If Chris Paul opts out of his contract with the Suns, his first call should be from his best friend LeBron James and the Lakers.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) July 21, 2021

According to ESPN’s The Undefeated, the Los Angeles Lakers have been on the hunt for a replacement for Dennis Schroder and Paul is on the short list. Rumors also link Wizards star Russell Westbrook being a potential sign-and-trade deal that may include Dennis Schroder, Kyle Kuzma and Talen Horton-Tucker.

To get Chris Paul in a Lakers uniform, it would likely take a sign-and-trade with the Suns. The most money the Lakers can offer otherwise is a $9.5 million taxpayer midlevel exception. But the opportunity to chase his first championship with LeBron James and Anthony Davis will keep the rumors alive until August.

The post Retirement Not in Plans for Chris Paul, Reports Claim Lakers Are Interested appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Game 6 of the NBA Finals here.

No. 2 Suns 98, No. 3 Bucks 105

MIL Wins Series 4-2

The Bucks were in an 0-2 hole to start the Finals, but rattled off four-straight wins to come out on top in the series. In the final game of the 2020-21 season, the Suns came out hot with their backs against the wall, leading by five points at halftime. Going into the fourth quarter, Milwaukee had tied the game, but Antetokounmpo had scored 37 of the team’s 77 points by himself. Khris Middleton and Antetokounmpo both came up clutch in the fourth quarter as the Bucks won Game 6 and ultimately the championship. 

Antetokounmpo had a historic performance, producing 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks. This made him just the second player in NBA history with three 40-point, 10-rebound games in a single NBA Finals, joining Shaquille O’Neal in 2000. This performance also made him the only player since 1974 to have 40 points, 10 rebounds and five rebounds in a Finals game and only the seventh in NBA history with a 50-point game in the Finals. Chris Paul and Devin Booker led the Suns with 26 and 19 points respectively in the hard-fought loss. 

The post Post Up: Milwaukee Bucks Crowned NBA Champions appeared first on SLAM.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns 103, No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks 109

Series tied 2-2

The Bucks and Suns played a close game from start to finish in Game 4 but the Bucks eventually came out on top thanks to a career night for All-Star forward Khris Middleton. While having an up and down series, Middleton led his team in scoring with 40 points and chipping in six rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Giannis Antetokounmpo flirted with a triple-double, going for 26 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, while Brook Lopez (14), Jrue Holiday (13) and Pat Connaughton were the only other Bucks to finish with more than 10 points.

Antetokounmpo also had one of the plays of the season, with this block late in the game on Deandre Ayton doing justice to the nickname “Greek Freak.”

Phoenix was kept in the game, thanks largely to the scoring of star guard Devin Booker. Booker led all scorers in the game for 42 points on 60.7 percent shooting from the field. However, not holding on up their end was Chris Paul, had a shaky night shooting as well, managing only 10 points on 5-for-13 shooting while turning over the ball five times.

Ayton, who only scored six points, had five assists but cleaning up on the boards with 17 rebounds.

With the series all tied up 2-2, the two teams will head back to Phoenix for Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

The post Post Up: Milwaukee Ties the Series Behind Play of Middleton, Giannis appeared first on SLAM.

Inches away from the baseline, Paul whipped his ninth assist of the game— the 1,041st of his career—to a cutting Jae Crowder who cashed in on a midrange jumper. A nine-time All-Star, Paul would notch the milestone assist in his 125th postseason game, leaving him with a career average of 8.3 assists per game in the playoffs.

Congrats to @CP3 of the @Suns for moving up to 10th on the #NBAPlayoffs ASSISTS list! #ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/NVSj5HQETu

— NBA (@NBA) July 9, 2021

Paul, who is averaging 27.5 points and 8.5 assists in the Finals, could realistically displace Larry Bird at the seventh spot, as the Hall of Fame forward sits 21 dimes behind the two-time Finals MVP.

The Point God and his Suns squad will head to Milwaukee next to face the Bucks in Game 3 of the 2021 NBA Finals, on Sunday night.

The post CP3 Moves Up to 10th All-Time Playoff Assists, Passes Kobe Bryant appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Game 2 of the 2021 NBA Finals here. 

No. 2 Suns 118, No. 3 Bucks 108

The Bucks got out to an early lead as the Suns trailed by as many as nine points in the first half, but after a 20-point swing Phoenix led by 11 at halftime. Giannis Antetokounmpo had a huge 20-point third quarter, doing a lot of his damage at the free throw line. That set a record for most points in a Finals quarter in the last 25 seasons. However, it only brought Milwaukee one point closer, still down ten heading into the fourth. During a competitive fourth quarter, Phoenix held onto the lead to take the 2-0 series lead. 

Antetokounmpo finished with 42 points and 12 rebounds but didn’t get enough help from his teammates. On the flip side, the Suns had plenty of contributors, led by Devin Booker’s 31 points, six assists and five boards. Chris Paul scored 23 points to go along with eight assists while Mikal Bridges produced 27 points. Game 3 will take place in Milwaukee on Sunday. 

The post Post Up: Suns Take Commanding Series Lead Over Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

Just two months after the New Orleans Hornets made the 6-1, All-American point guard from Wake Forest the fourth overall pick in the draft, Hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans and the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, causing catastrophic damage and mass casualties. 

“I’ll never forget being home in North Carolina and waking up and looking at the news,” Paul recalled in an interview on the Knuckleheads podcast in 2020. “We ended up relocating to Oklahoma for two years.” 

Chance, misfortune and—some might argue—fate opened the door for a city that nobody thought could support something that otherwise seemed so out of their league.

“It is one thing to sort of dream and hope for major league status, but we really didn’t do a whole lot of that,” said Berry Tramel, a long-time sports columnist for The Oklahoman. “It just sort of landed in our laps.”

“We were all homeless.”

Michael Thompson, the former New Orleans Hornets Director of Corporate Communications, remembers the time vividly. “My home was under 10 feet of water.”

While the majority of players were not in Louisiana when the storm hit (training camp wasn’t scheduled to start for another month), many of their and the Hornets staff’s homes were destroyed, like tens of thousands of other New Orleans residents’ homes.

As staff members dispersed across the country for safety, the immediate future of the franchise was uncertain. With training camp set to open five weeks after the storm, and the regular season a month after that, decisions had to be made, and made swiftly.

Candidates for temporary relocation destinations spanned coast to coast, even spilling internationally. Kansas City, Las Vegas, San Diego, Vancouver, Montreal, Tampa, Nashville, Anaheim, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and even San Juan, Puerto Rico, were all reportedly considered.

Oklahoma City (pop. 550,000 in 2005) didn’t initially fit the profile. Sure, college sports were colossal in the state, but other than triple-A baseball, there was no major sports team at the time. In the late ’90s, the city submitted a failed bid to acquire an NHL expansion franchise. But OKC already had a turnkey arena in the Ford Center (now Chesapeake Energy Arena), a $90 million modern venue built in 2002 specifically to attract an NBA or NHL franchise. OKC was also within relative distance (700 miles) of New Orleans and teams within the Southwest Division.

“We never even sniffed the NBA or thought of the NBA as a possibility until the hurricane,” said Tramel. “A couple of civic and city leaders with some foresight hatched the idea and made it work really quick.”

By September 21, 2005, eight days out from training camp, the franchise held a press conference announcing they would play 35 of their home games in OKC and the remaining six in Baton Rouge. The New Orleans/OKC Hornets were official.

The first meeting of the day would start at 6 am. A group of team officials would attend an event like a rotary club breakfast, make a pitch and walk out with 50 Hornets season tickets sold. They would repeat this five or six times at different organizations. At 11 pm, 60 Hornets employees would have their daily staff meeting from a ballroom at the downtown Sheraton that would spill into the next morning. This routine went on seven days a week for a month.

“Those four weeks, we had to accomplish in every 24-hour period what a normal expansion franchise would do in a month,” Thompson said. “The season was going to start whether we’re ready or not.”

The players also rushed to get situated. Unlike playing in New York City or Los Angeles, players took advantage of mid-sized city pricing. Chris Paul paid $750 in rent to share a home in Edmond with his brother, while JR Smith, his closest friend on the team, lived down the street. Desmond Mason, who had starred at Oklahoma State in the late ’90s, served as the official ambassador to the city for the team, helping them get acclimated to the nuances of Midwestern living.

“I was the guy that kind of kept everybody comfortable when all the tornado sirens went off or when there was golf-sized hail and guys were freaking out not knowing what to do,” said Mason, who was traded to the Hornets right before the season.

Easing the transition for the Hornets organization was the immediate support from the basketball thirsty community.

 “The thing I remember most was just the excitement that the Oklahoma City Hornets brought to town,” said Trae Young, who grew up in Norman, OK. “I was already in love with the game prior to their arrival in OKC, but that definitely added fuel to the fire.”

 Young was just 7 years old when the Hornets arrived, but for older locals, the presence of the team was an opportunity to bring joy and a fresh identity to an area that endured horrific tragedy themselves. In 1995, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City was bombed by a domestic terrorist, killing 168 people, including children.

 For a franchise that was in the process of healing from Katrina and a city that could relate, basketball became another common bond between the Hornets and OKC. 

 “The least we could do is go out and play as hard as we can,” Paul told reporters after the team’s first game, a sold-out home victory over the Sacramento Kings. “We feel like we owe a lot to this city and the state of Oklahoma for accepting us.”

18 and 64.

That was the record (second-worst in the League) of the Hornets the season before. They played to half-empty stands (literally, the Hornets were dead last in attendance) at the New Orleans Arena. Only eight players from that 2004-05 team returned.

“We thought they would stink,” said Tramel. “A lot of people speculated that because the Hornets were billed as a temporary team, that people would really come out just to watch the other teams and their stars.

“But within no later than two or three games, the whole city just went ga-ga over the Hornets themselves.”

The team turnaround started in training camp. Coach Byron Scott had his blend of misfits do military-type conditioning drills, ensuring effort could compensate for a lack of talent. They stuck as a unit. At home they bowled together, on the road they ate together. It was a college-team atmosphere.

Donning Hornets jerseys with an “OKC” patch on the upper right shoulder, that camaraderie extended onto the court. Even though the team hovered around .500 most of the season, they were suddenly competitive, particularly at home where they had a 24-17 record.

“We caught a lot of teams off guard,” said Mason. “They thought that we were just gonna roll over and die.”

All of sudden the team started to forge that identity. There was that tenacious defense. There was Chris “Birdman” Andersen, who would thrill the crowd with his dunks. David West’s toughness and methodical mid-range game. Speedy Claxton, the emerging sixth man. And, Smith, who showed flashes of brilliance, with high flying dunks and deep threes—but often in Scott’s doghouse.

But the catalyst and leader of the team was the diminutive but tough-as-nails rookie who was putting up Jason Kidd-esque numbers.

“Chris had that leadership quality from the jump,” said Mason, who called Paul the best point guard he had ever played with. “He was always a guy that was vocal but also had respect because he had veterans on the team. He could see everything on the court, he was so beyond his years.”

Also fueling the team, perhaps in a greater way than even Paul could, were Oklahomans in the stands. They treated even preseason games like Game 7s.

“Crowd was crazy the first time we went there,” said Quentin Richardson, who played for the Knicks at the time. “[The OKC fans were] at the game early and visible during warmups. But once the game got going, we saw that they were more like a rowdy college crowd as opposed to most arenas in the NBA.”

The Hornets were also the biggest show in town off the court. They were rockstars. Players received free meals at upscale steakhouses and loaner cars from luxury dealerships. Coach Scott got free rounds of golf around town. Fans wore Paul jerseys and kids got haircuts like Birdman.

The Hornets also had a responsibility to the city and state that they left. On top of the games in Baton Rouge, they would return a few times per season to play in New Orleans. They would help build homes and raise money for Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild their city. Everybody, including fans in OKC, knew that they would eventually return to Louisiana.

Despite a strong start that inaugural season, the Hornets went on a freefall the last two months, losing 15 of their last 22 games.

“I think we lost to Utah the last week or two of the season when we were [mathematically] eliminated [from the playoffs],” said Claxton. “I remember in a locker room feeling crushed and I actually think I shed a tear or two.”

The Hornets finished 38-44, a 20-win improvement from the season before. The next season, a team that now featured Tyson Chandler, Bobby Jackson and Peja Stojakovic, OKC was on the fringe of an 8-seed, but again, fell a few games short.

After two years, it was time to return to New Orleans.

The success of the Hornets in town (they generated $65 million in revenue for the city in year one) encouraged the inception of the Thunder in 2008, when the Seattle SuperSonics were moved to OKC. In 12 seasons, the Thunder have reached the playoffs 10 times, the conference finals four times and made their sole NBA Finals appearance in 2012.

 Paul’s own Hall of Fame résumé is also well chronicled: Rookie of the Year; 11-time All-Star; Gold medal in Beijing; Lob City; and as we went to press, he was in the process of making a deep run with the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 postseason. In 2019-20, of course, Paul’s career went full circle, as he went back (and thrived) in the city where it all started, this time for the Thunder.

 “I think it’s truly special that CP [was] able to return to the city that he helped put on the map basketball-wise,” said Young. “It’s only right.”

 Paul became an All-Star and led the Thunder to the playoffs. Two months after the Thunder were eliminated by the Rockets in the bubble, Paul was traded to the Suns.

 Although Paul’s return to his OKC roots in 2019 undoubtedly brought nostalgia, there are limited proof points of their existence around town or even in the official books (literally, the NO/OKC official records aren’t recognized in the Thunder, Pelicans or Hornets’ media guides). However, those who lived it will tell you that the Oklahoma City Hornets were pioneers.

 “It’s a great feeling to know that I was part of something special,” said Mason, who also played for the Thunder in 2009 and currently lives in Oklahoma City. “It was a tragedy that made that happen. Without Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets never leave New Orleans. And if that never happens, the Thunder never show up, in my personal opinion.”

 But beyond business and what ifs, the OG Oklahoma City team conjures up a more humanistic legacy for Mason.

“I always get these little snippets that come across my social media that have the hashtag #OKCHornets. It just kind of sparks all those feelings of great times all over again.”

Gerald Narciso is a Vancouver-based freelance writer, whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Bleacher Report, and Sports Illustrated. A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Gerald was cut from his high school varsity basketball team despite being able to effortlessly dunk a tennis ball. He now plays in corporate leagues where 20-year olds run circles around him. Follow him on Twitter @geraldnarciso.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post How Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets Left a Lasting Impact in OKC appeared first on SLAM.

Paul put on a clinic of how an NBA point guard should set the tone in the first game, scoring 32 points and dishing out 9 assists in the Suns’ 118-105 over the Milwaukee Bucks.

CP3 4-PT PLAY #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/DYEmHxIivk

— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 7, 2021

Along with CP3 twisting his left ankle on this shot in the third quarter, he’s playing with a hand injury suffered in the previous round.

Paul revealed after the Suns’ Game 6 win that he has been playing with partially torn ligaments in his right hand which is incredible considering he tied his playoff career-high of 41 points (Including 30 points in the second half). He’s the first player since Shaquille O’Neal back in 2000 to finish a conference finals contest with 40 points or more with no turnovers. Michael Jordan was the last guard to do it in 1998.

POINT GOD. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/CT1oiTqnZQ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 1, 2021

The hand injury is yet another in a growing list of physical ailments for CP3. First, he suffered a shoulder injury in the opening game of the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers. Then he spent time in the NBA Health and Safety protocols between the second round and the conference finals. Paul spoke on how time away from the game to rest has helped him.

“Each day that we’ve had off has been really good, and we all get a chance to rest up a little bit before we get it going again,” Paul said, per ESPN.

Chris Paul, who Deandre Ayton calls “the best thing that has happened” in his career, is the early favorite for the NBA Finals MVP according to NBA.com. He’s averaging 19.0 points, 8.7 assists, 1.1 steals per game in the playoffs.

Phoenix will run it back against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight for Game 2.

The post Chris Paul Used Rest On Right Hand to Dominate Game 1 of NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns 130, No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 103

PHX wins series 4-2

With a chance at the NBA Finals on the line, Chris Paul led the Suns to a blowout Game 6 win over the Clippers. Paul dropped 41 points on 16-for-24 shooting and chipped in eight assists and three steals in arguably one of his greatest performances of all time. This will be Paul’s first-ever trip to the NBA Finals in his 16-year career. Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton both had strong outings as well. Booker scored 22 points and Ayton had 16 to go along with 17 rebounds.

CP3 taking over. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/1BkG2fKjc5

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 1, 2021

The Clippers struggled to keep pace with the Suns all night, with the deficit eventually getting to 20 points by the time the fourth quarter came. Marcus Morris Sr. led the way for the Clippers, dropping 26 points and nine rebounds. Paul George had a mixed evening, scoring 21 points but doing so on 6-for-15 shooting from the field. One of the most notable events of the evening came from Patrick Beverley, who was ejected from the game in the fourth quarter for shoving Chris Paul.

The Suns will have to wait until the end of the Eastern Conference Finals matchup to determine whether they’ll face the Atlanta Hawks or the Milwaukee Bucks.

The post Post Up: The Phoenix Suns Are Headed to the NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

DEANDRE. AYTON. DOMINATION.@DeandreAyton scores 19 points while tallying #NBAPlayoffs career highs in boards (22) and blocks (4), putting the @Suns up 3-1! #ThatsGame

Game 5 – Monday, 9pm/et, ESPN pic.twitter.com/tovZKKCbpi

— NBA (@NBA) June 27, 2021

After the Suns 84-80 Game 4 win, Ayton took time to give credit to Chris Paul, who has helped his development that is on display in this postseason. Ayton even went as far as to call CP3 the best thing that has happened in his career.

“He was the best thing that happened to my career.”@DeandreAyton on @CP3‘s impact on him. #ThatsGame #NBAWCF presented by AT&T pic.twitter.com/A8zgIfCpWE

— NBA (@NBA) June 27, 2021

“I love CP, man. Like I said, that’s really the only teammate that really push me. Like big bro type push. Knowing what I got and that I ain’t never thought that I had,” Ayton said after Game 4. “I think he was the best thing that happened to my career. I can say that every day.”

Paul discussed Deandre’s progress over the season via CBS Sports.

“To see his growth, man, I get goosebumps. Seriously, man,” Paul said of Ayton. “We done had some heated conversations this season, especially earlier in the season, but man, I genuinely love him. You know what I’m saying? The person he is. And to see everything that’s coming to him, and the national audience getting to see who he is and why he was the No. 1 pick, I couldn’t be happier for him.”

Ayton and Suns have a chance to clinch a NBA Finals berth winning Game 5 on Monday night

The post Deandre Ayton on Chris Paul: ‘He was the Best Thing That Happened to My Career’ appeared first on SLAM.

According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, veteran point guard Chris Paul plans to return to the Phoenix Suns starting five after missing the first two games of the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers due to health and safety protocols.

Paul, who only missed two games in the regular season due to injury, has has faced his share of adversity in the playoffs; after injuring his shoulder against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, the floor general tested positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated.

BREAKING: Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul intends to make his return for Game 3 of WCF against the Los Angeles Clippers barring unforeseen setback, league sources tell @YahooSports. https://t.co/UgzGxX4aaZ

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 23, 2021

Fortunately for Phoenix fans, the Suns have been excellent even without Paul, jumping out to a 2-0 series lead against the Clippers — including a jaw-dropping buzzer-beating dunk by DeAndre Ayton to win Game 2.

One of the main reasons that the Suns have continued to win has been the excellent play of backup point guard Cameron Payne, who scored 29 points and 9 assists in Game 2 and is averaging 20.0 points and 9.0 assists per game in the series.

Nonetheless, the impact of Paul’s return will be immense.

The 36-year-old floor general has excelled in Phoenix surrounded by a young core.

Paul, averaging 16.4 points, 8.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds this season, has been even better in the playoffs with averages of 25.5 points, 10.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game in the Suns’ semifinals sweep of the Denver Nuggets.

CHRIS PAUL WILL RETURN FOR GAME 3 (per @ChrisBHaynes) pic.twitter.com/pUNj3PJ26H

— Overtime (@overtime) June 23, 2021

Furthermore, Suns head coach Monty Williams noted that even though Paul has missed about a week of playing time and conditioning, it would be unlikely that Suns give him a minutes restriction. 

“ We don’t have the luxury of waiting on anybody right now. These games are so important. Every practice, every film session,” Williams said. “We certainly would see where he’s at when that time comes, but that’s hard to make that judgment just because COVID is so different. You have COVID and the playoffs, you know what I mean? It’s not COVID and the regular season.

“I’m sure if I tried to keep Chris out of the game, we’d have to square off and go toe-to-toe. So we’ll just make that assessment when the time comes,” he continued.

The post Chris Paul Set to Return for Suns in Game 3 After Clearing Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

The team has announced that his status will be “updated and provided” on Saturday.

It is currently unknown whether the Sun’s guard has tested positive for COVID-19, or had come in close contact with someone that has it. Still, the news is unfortunate as it could affect his availability in the WCF.

Head coach Monty Williams wouldn’t give any additional details on his return:

“I’m not even going to go there until I have to, so there’s no reason for me to be pessimistic at all,” Williams said, per ESPN. “We just have to wait and see what’s going to happen.”

Paul, at 36, is currently averaging 15.7 points, 8.7 assists, and 4.1 rebounds in the Suns’ last 10 playoff games. If he plays against either the Clippers or the Jazz, it will mark his second Western Conference Finals appearance in his career.

The post Chris Paul Out Indefinitely Due to Health and Safety Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

The Phoenix Suns are heading to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 11 years after their 125-118 win over the Denver Nuggets; completing the series sweep.

The maturity and veteran leadership of Paul combined with Booker’s elite shooting arsenal have coalesced into a unique and more than effective backcourt for the Suns in their seventh straight playoff win, a franchise record.

“A couple years ago they were writing me off. This ain’t about me. It’s about us,” Paul said.

Billed as the ‘Point God,’ CP3 shut the door on father time as he became the oldest NBA player to ever record 25+ points and 10+ assists in a playoff series. The 36-year-old also dished out 41 assists in the series, while only turning the ball over 5 times.

You in deep trouble when CP3 starts laughing like this. (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/E471BvCjnc

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2021

Paul dragged defender after defender off a ball screen to his sweet spot – the right elbow – putting up a high-arching middy while fading to the baseline. The shoulder injury he suffered in the first round seems to have subsided as Paul shot 22-for-34 from the midrange during the series.

The barrage of mid-range jumpers allowed Paul explode for 37 points, 7 assists and 2 steals while shooting 14-for-19 in the Suns 125-118 win. Booker poured in 34 points and 11 boards.

After knocking out the defending champions (the Los Angeles Lakers) in the first round, the Suns dismantled a hampered Nuggets squad that lost reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic in the third quarter to a Flagrant 2.

Jokic becomes the first MVP to be swept in a playoff series since Magic Johnson in 1989.

The Nuggets sorely missed their star point guard Jamal Murray as the rest of the team grappled with making up his production on the scoreboard. However, by the end of what turned out to be a hard-fought contest, Will Barton scored 25 points, while Michael Porter Jr., added 20, Monte Morris dropped in 19 and Facu Campazzo added 14 points off of the bench.

It just wasn’t enough.

This is for YOU, Phoenix!#RallyTheValley pic.twitter.com/SpQBZqXjeW

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) June 14, 2021

The Suns will get more than a weeks worth of rest and hold home court advantage for the first two games of the Western Conference Finals, where they will face either the Los Angeles Clippers or the Utah Jazz.

The post Chris Paul, Devin Booker Dismantle Nuggets in Series Sweep appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA ain’t ever seen a player like me.

Three years later, Ayton still means it. It wasn’t for clout or to make his SLAM 216 cover story sound good. He knew, even back then, that the League had never seen a player like him. When asked about it again during our interview in April, he makes it clear to everyone on the Zoom call that today he means it even more.

“I was serious. And I’m deadass. I’m serious, to the bone,” Ayton says. “I’m something the League has never seen: a 5 that can guard 1-5. A player that can anchor a defense, that can play like this every night.” 

His voice is stern and unwavering, the same way someone speaks when they’re right and they know it. “I love it,” he continues. “That’s the day and era that we’re in, where young guys like the Luka Doncics and the Trae Youngs are carrying teams, literally. But we love it. It’s who we are. It’s the life we chose. Simple as that.”

He has a point. There are a handful of players, all under the age of 25, that are helping carry their teams to potential playoff runs. Ayton is one of them, and as of writing this, he’s ranked 13th in the NBA in rebounds (10.7) this season. The Bahamian-born center is only four years younger than Clint Capela, who is leading the L. Ayton, only in his third season, turns 23 in July.

As the Suns continue to dominate the West and look to make a run in the playoffs—which would mark their first postseason appearance since 2010—DA is playing with a new type of energy and responsibility. His teammates are depending on him to grab every rebound that floats in the air, to help generate the offense by getting it done on the defensive end of the floor. It was once written that “there’s beauty in how the Suns turn Ayton rebounds into points,” but that might be too flowery. His job, he says, is to not only dominate the paint but to protect it.

“I’m a Leo, so I be roaring,” he says bluntly. “I don’t back down, I don’t do none of that. I love to compete, I love to defend. If I’m not there, people are going to see food…You might scoot by me, but I’m here. At the end of the day, you’re gonna come back down and see DA. This is basketball.”

And while many have criticized him for not shooting enough threes, Ayton knows that’s not his role on a team full of shooters. Devin Booker is averaging 25.4 points per game, and the Suns are led by the point god himself, Chris Paul, who can dish a dime to anyone on the floor at any moment in time. Ayton is expected to make things happen on the glass from anywhere on the court, to grab boards, set screens and help generate the offense, every single night.

“When I’m on the glass, I’m a presence. I don’t even call myself a big man. I never do. On my team, nobody calls me big fella. I really don’t compare myself to bigs. I can score like a big, that’s my system and that’s what’s best for my team, but I do all of that,” he says. “I know that CP and Book are depending on me to get them open, they’re expecting me to roll to create offense and generate in the middle.”

There’s a sense of pride you get when knowing that one of the best point guards in the game knows you can compete and expects it of you. Demands it. 

“CP3 is on our ass,” Ayton says about Paul. “I’m talking about he be on my ass, man. It ain’t no slip ups. I’m talking about paying attention to the details to the finest, almost perfection. He knows you’re human, but if he trusts you, when a superstar like that trusts you, you know, [it gives] superpowers almost. It’s like, You believe in me that much?”

It’s that belief, and his own self-assurance, that has added more fuel to Ayton’s fire this season. In 60 games, all of which he’s started, DA has 32 double doubles—and is on pace to have the most of his career. He’s running the floor, running pick and rolls with ease and playing with the confidence needed to get his shooters wide open. The two-man game that he plays with Paul has become one of the Suns’ most lethal weapons. And when asked about Ayton’s ceiling and potential, CP3 let us know back in February that the not-a-big-man is ready. He’s in full control now.

“I ain’t never been on this type of competitive team, to have this type of competitive spirit around you, [where] other dudes are on the same page as me. So why not? I’m cursing myself every day. Why not? I’m asking myself, knowing the answer. I just got to go out there and do it.”

DA will be the first to tell you that with everything he’s been through in his three years in the League, he’s not taking this moment for granted. But he hasn’t forgotten, either, about the moments when he and his team were doubted.

He knew the odds of the Suns dominating in the bubble: Fivethirtyeight.com projected they’d go 3-5 and had a “less than minuscule” chance of making the playoffs.

But, what the Suns did in the bubble wasn’t a fluke, and that 8-0 run wasn’t just a moment of good fortune. The numbers were wrong.

“Even going into the bubble with the -0.3 percent, all that stuff, I remember all of that,” he says. “That’s why I got this thing up in my room, you know what I’m sayin?” Ayton says, pointing to the jersey that is hung up behind him. “Like, ah, I just got to turn around sometimes, and [nods head] aight.”

Ayton then motions with his thumb to the RESPECT US jersey that’s hung up behind him on his wall, the same one he wore last season in the bubble. It’s a reminder of the journey, the process. But it’s also a demand.

“I’m from a different country and it’s hard to really adapt to new things and things that we’re not used to,” he says. “I think that’s what this world lacks a little bit and we’ve got to respect people’s ways and it’s who they are and what they do. That’s the thing, we have a hard time doing this in this world, and not only did I do that for us but for the team as well, as respect for the Suns before these wins.”

DA knows better than anyone that these wins shouldn’t be taken for granted.

He admits that the bubble, and the drug suspension he faced last season for unintentionally ingesting a diuretic, has made him who he is today. It’s made this player right now.

DA was coming off a fairly solid rookie season before his suspension. He registered a double-double in his NBA debut, making him the first player to do so in their debut game since Lew Alcindor in ’69 and Oscar Robertson in ’60—and, despite ankle injuries, he went on to break the Suns’ record for most double-doubles by a rookie (previously set by Alvan Adams in 1975-76) against the Washington Wizards in March, the same night teammate Devin Booker dropped 50.

But then, shortly after getting another double-double (18 points, 11 rebounds) in the season-opener against the Kings the following year, he was suspended for 25 games for violating the League’s drug-policy.

They say the higher that you climb, the further you can fall. The unintentional mistake he made back in October of 2019 was called a “false start” for Ayton and a “disappointment” for an organization that has had “nothing but disappointment for the last decade.” The former No. 1 pick thought that everyone was done with him.

“I’m thinking everybody hates me,” Ayton admits.

Well, everyone except for Diana Taurasi.

“I would walk past her every morning, going [into the gym] early and she’d be parking her car,” he says about one of his favorite players. “She’d stop me every time and tell me to keep my head up. And I’m like, for who she is, stopping me, someone who got suspended, who is damn near is done, my name got dropped, I [was] so surprised someone was talking to me. She had faith in me and told me, Nah, everybody makes mistakes.”

The suspension, he admits, felt like another chance to do things right. He spent that time watching film and going at it in workouts. While he’d be training, everything that Taurasi had said to him would run back through his head. He felt more locked in than ever.

Yo. Just remember, every time you’re doing these little workouts or whatever, just know, it’s only really important when nobody is watching.

But second chances don’t always come easy, and oftentimes, life is the hardest teacher. He returned in December, getting another double-double against the Clippers, only to sprain his right ankle three days later against the Thunder. It felt like another harsh reality he had to face about being in the League.

“It was like, Man. This is what it’s about, this is really the NBA. You can work for something so hard and it can go away like that,” he says with the snap of his finger.

He missed five games, but returned with redemption on his mind. He dropped double-doubles for three straight games against the Lakers, Knicks and Grizzlies, and then had a monster game against New York on their home court in January. Ayton finished with 26 points and a career-high 21 rebounds against the Knicks, making him the youngest player since Amar’e Stoudemire to record at least 25 points and 20 rebounds in a game for the Suns, and the youngest player ever to drop 25-plus points against the Knicks.

He was back, and so were the Suns. Looking back at that time, Ayton says he not only learned how to win, but what it felt like to win as an underdog.

“We were acting like we were winning championships in there. We were locked in. It felt like the playoffs because it was really intense and everybody was hungry, man. Every team brought it, but we was bringing it to them. We really wanted it more.” 

He’s keeping that same energy this season on a team that not only knows how to win, but expects it. And no one is more in control right now of how Deandre Ayton plays than Deandre himself.

“There’s no turning back from here,” he says. “I know what to do to prepare myself for the next level, I know what’s ahead of us. I have the guys around me to tell me what the hell I’m about to get myself into, how things are about to play. I like damn near have a chain around my neck about to pop, because I’m beyond ready for this shit. I’m just happy the front office really put some serious winners around me because now I feel it. I see the confidence certain teams get when they’re on a roll. It’s contagious throughout our whole team.”

The battle isn’t over, though, and in his own words, this the NBA, love. You can’t be content with a winning record in the NBA before the playoffs. DA is hungry for more, and his jersey from last season is a reminder to keep going. That respect has to be earned. It’s not just given.

“It’s to remind myself, Yo, we ain’t it. Only 40 wins, we ain’t got it. We ain’t there yet, it feels aight but we ain’t got it. There’s so much more. There’s so many more. I’m tryin’ to flip this city upside down. Tryin’ to have the whole roster and names on the streets, like, that’s just the energy I’m on.”

We haven’t seen the Phoenix Suns like this before. And, if we’re being real, the NBA hasn’t seen Deandre Ayton play like this before, either. Forget about stats and shooting percentages and all of that—just watch the way that he plays. His confidence is unwavering, every rebound is a testament to greatness and greatness to come.

But if we are talking numbers, then here’s one for you: 3.9 seconds. Back in April against the Jazz, per Arizonasports.com, it only took on average 3.9 seconds (give or take) for the Suns to attempt a shot on offense after Ayton secured the rebound. After grabbing a defensive board, he then hit a 15-foot jumper three seconds later. When Jae Crowder missed a three, Ayton was right there to snag the offensive rebound and dish it to Chris Paul for another shot. While the ball didn’t go through the net every time, Ayton’s 12 rebounds that night—seven of which were offensive and five defensive—helped guarantee more opportunities for the Suns. They went on to defeat Utah, who have the best record in the L and are sitting at a spot above them in the West, in overtime.

So if the Suns performance in the bubble wasn’t enough to prove to you that this team isn’t playing around, and if Ayton’s double-double performances and playmaking ability this season aren’t enough, then let these words, his own, be a final warning to dispel your lingering doubt:

“I’m ready to see it. I can already taste it. I’m craving it. I want to win every day…It’s like, why not be No. 1? Why not do certain things that people wouldn’t expect us to. We young, we’re just young and hungry. We’re competitive. We’re taking everybody. Straight up.”

And as we say on the islands, No let dat go ova yu head top. Blessings soon come.

—

Get your copy of SLAM 232 now!

Deyscha Smith is an Associate Editor for SLAM. Follow her on Instagram, @deyschasmith.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Deandre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns are Ascending Towards Greatness appeared first on SLAM.

And, while young stars like Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton deserve their flowers for their performances this season, the Suns rise out West starts and ends with their captain: 15-year NBA veteran Chris Paul.

Paul, who was traded to Phoenix last November with the Oklahoma City Thunder looking to rebuild, has been one of the league’s most polarizing figures. Often criticized for his ball-domineering ways and tenuous relationships with the stars on his teams, Paul is — and has always been — one of the league’s most intelligent players.

An extension of the coach when he’s on the floor, Paul’s pitbull-like demeanor in combination with his understanding of the game allows him to be the type of floor general that’s become rare in the modern NBA. Where most guards’ biggest threat today is their ability to score, Paul is a throwback that reminds of us point guards like Steve Nash, Jason Kidd and John Stockton.

That may be a long-winded way to explain what Paul brings to every team he plays for but it’s useful in understanding why the Suns, with 10 players holding no more than five seasons of experience, needed Paul.

Why they needed their second high-level facilitator of the Booker Era.

While alleviating Booker from a substantial portion of his playmaking responsibilities, Paul has become an excellent pick-and-roll partner with Ayton, thanks to the threat of his 3-pointer and floater. In fact, with Paul’s basketball IQ, passing ability and improved spacing, even players like Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson are finding it easier to score around the rim.

The identification and simplification of everyone’s roles, quite simply, has allowed everyone to play to their strengths without overthinking.

Averages of 16.2 points, 8.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game (on a true shooting percentage of .594) may not jump off of the page when assessing MVP candidates. Especially when compared with the volume scoring of players like Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid or New York Knicks power forward Julius Randle.

Further, when assessing the roles of each player on their respective team, Jokic’s playmaking for the Nuggets is as essential as Paul’s is for the Suns.

Still, there’s something to be said for a team that’s at the top of the Western Conference standings when they were the 10th seed just a season ago. When they hadn’t won more than 25 games in any season of the Booker Era before 2019-20.

Certainly, the improvement of their defense has been particularly important, and Paul’s ability to generate turnovers has always been a key part of his game. However, the steal numbers for Rubio and Paul were identical from their time with the Suns and though Paul has a better defensive rating (107.9 compared to 108.4), the difference is negligible.

That said, this is where the defensive-minded wings and forwards that Phoenix possesses have been important.

Johnson, now in his second season, has improved his defensive rating from 108.3 to 105.9 with increased familiarity and play recognition. Craig, who Phoenix signed in the offseason, has held opponents to .444 percent shooting from the field and .353 percent from 3-point range.

Moving Dario Saric to the second unit, in favor of third-year forward Mikal Bridges, has been what’s the biggest boost for Phoenix’s defense. With a bench role and less defensive responsibility, his defensive rating has improved the most, going from a 112.0 in 2019-20 to 102.6 in 2020-21.

In a nutshell, Paul’s biggest contribution to the Suns isn’t to their defense. Nonetheless, while he’s helped enhance their offense, it’s difficult to say he’s the most essential piece of it. Especially as Booker perhaps, who averages 25.6 points per game, brings the Suns’ offensive rating all the way up to 120.2 when he’s on the court (versus 111.3 when he’s off the court).

Paul’s biggest contribution is intangible: it’s his leadership, his ability to get his troops focused and his ability to make the game easier for his teammates.

“He watches so much basketball,” Bridges says of Paul on The Ringer’s ‘Real Ones’ podcast. “He tells you so much about the opponent… he kind of mentally gets you locked in before the game even starts, before we even know our opponent yet.”

CP3’s key to unlocking Phoenix’s potential is, quite simply, being the player he’s always been.

Is that deserving of an MVP award this season? Likely not.

However, entertaining the conversation creates a deeper appreciation for the future Hall of Famer and what he’s meant to one of the league’s most adored franchises.

Per Sports Illustrated’s Michael Shapiro:

“Chris’s mindset is just different. It rubs off on all of us,” Johnson says. “He’s always a couple of steps ahead of the game, he’s always teaching. … He’s pulling us aside, telling us things to pick up, when to roll, when to pop, where to rotate. He really seems to see everything out there.”

The post Chris Paul’s Case for Laying Claim to 2021 NBA MVP Award appeared first on SLAM.

Per CNBC’s Jabari Young, the Phoenix Suns will make their first appearance in the NBA Playoffs for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

Back in those days, Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire were a deadly pick-and-roll duo for the ‘7 Seconds or Less’ Suns in an offense as exciting as any had been seen to that point.

You just had to be there.

That being said, Phoenix is no stranger to having a hot-shot roster. Nowadays, a different high IQ point guard — Chris Paul — is leading the charge, with rising stars in Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton making an indelible impact for the franchise.

Booker has averaged 25.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists so far this season, while Paul has averaged 16.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game. Ayton, now in his third season, is averaging 14.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting a career-high .620 percent from the field.

Currently the second seed in the Western Conference, the Suns ended their 10-season playoff drought (the fifth-longest in NBA history) following a 109-101 victory over against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

While this is CP3’s 11th postseason appearance, Booker will have his first career playoff experience in a stretch that will be invaluable to his evolution into superstar player.

The post Suns Set to Make First Playoff Appearance Since 2010 appeared first on SLAM.

After passing Hall of Fame forward Scottie Pippen for sixth-place on the NBA’s career steals list on Monday, the all-time great point guard passed up another Hall of Famer, point guard Maurice Cheeks, for fifth-place on the NBA’s career leaderboard in a 106-86 win over the Miami Heat.

Paul had three steals in the game which included two in the fourth quarter that put him at 2,311 for his career. Cheeks, who was fifth at the time had 2,310 in 15 NBA seasons.

Paul is now pursuing Gary ‘The Glove,’ Payton for fourth place (2,445 steals); NBA legend Michael Jordan, who’s in third-place (2,514); former floor general Jason Kidd (2,684); and the NBA steals record holder, John Stockton (3,265).

This milestone comes weeks after Paul became the sixth player in NBA history to total 10,000 career assists against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Chris Paul becomes the 6th player in NBA history with 10,000 CAREER ASSISTS! pic.twitter.com/pavbc9t6OY

— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2021

CP3 shares this honor with Stockton, Kidd, two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash, 1988 Rookie of the Year, Mark Jackson, and five-time champion Magic Johnson.

Paul is still going strong in his 16th season, quelling suspicions that he’s lost his status as an upper echelon playmaker the last two seasons.

While he recently played in his 11th All-Star Game (with his second-consecutive appearance) last month, and has averages of 15.8 points, 8.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game, his ability to turn the Suns into a championship contender is perhaps his greatest feat yet.

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After last year’s 8-0 run in the bubble, the Suns knew they had the potential to become a playoff team. Looking back, the team’s roster was young and it appeared as though head coach Monty Williams and general manager James Jones knew they needed to add a veteran presence to the locker room.

Then came along Chris Paul in a trade. Paul had a promising performance in the bubble last season with Oklahoma City and, despite the team falling short to Houston in seven games, had let everyone know that he still had some gas left in the tank.

While there was much speculation around Paul’s age and his ability to compete, he has silenced the haters this season and has stepped up as a leader on the Suns.

The 35-year old has been deep in his bag this season and is currently eighth in the league in assists (8.8) while averaging 15.9 points per game.

On Sunday’s matchup against the Lakers, Paul’s alley-oop lob to Deandre Ayton marked his 10,000th assist—he’s now ranked sixth all-time in assists behind legends John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Mark Jackson, and Magic Johnson.

10K career assist
DOMINAYTON@CP3 @DeandreAyton pic.twitter.com/4u9nU8q5vY

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 22, 2021

“It’s a testament to what type of teammate he is with the ‘we score’ mentality instead of ‘me score’ mentality,” said teammate and All-Star guard Devin Booker, according to Duane Rankin at AZ Central. “All the nicknames he gets, he fully deserves. Point God. Everything.”  

Alongside Booker, the Suns have been able to find success so far and they’ve maintained a 26-12 record. Currently second in the Western Conference, they’ll have to keep up the pace if they want to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

The Point God says he’s not done dishing out dimes just yet.

“It’s a blessing, first and foremost, to play this long,” Paul said. “That’s something I don’t take for granted. A lot of guys I came in with are now coaching or unable to play now and I just thank God for this opportunity, man. I love this game. I love to play and compete and I’m grateful.” 

“I ain’t done. I’m going to keep hoopin’.”

The post Chris Paul Reaches 10,000 Assists, Now Ranked Sixth All-Time appeared first on SLAM.

Behind every good team is an even better coach. Look at all the legendary teams that have won titles, championships, and set records. Now, think about who coached those teams. There’s a mastermind behind the buckets, a conductor orchestrating a symphony of plays and tactics to get the ball through the net. A coach knows the game within the game—but a good one knows that the lessons learned from the game go far beyond the hardwood. 

To coach a great team is one thing, but to have led a powerhouse program as both its standout player, and then its head coach is a whole different type of swagger. LeVelle Moton, head coach of the North Carolina Central men’s basketball team, is as captivating of a person as his story is. The three-time MEAC champion is one of NCCU’s all-time career leaders, and ranks in the top ten in almost every offensive category: he’s first in 3-point field goals made, third in scoring, fourth in free throws, fifth in assists, eighth in field goals made and his scoring average, 16.6, is ranked tenth all-time (he’s also ranked 11th in steals). After playing pro ball overseas in Indonesia, he returned back to his alma mater and became the head coach in 2009—under his leadership, the program has won MEAC regular season and tournament championships nearly every year since 2014. Last season, the Eagles made history and won the MEAC tournament for the third-straight year, clinching their third-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. 

LeVelle went from “Poetry N’Moton” during his playing days to putting NCCU on the map, and has won Coach of the Year so many times, it might as well become his newest nickname. Still, accolades and winning titles aside, it’s the impact that LeVelle has had on his players that is spotlighted in the eight-part docu-series, Why Not Us: North Carolina Central Basketball, Executive Produced by Chris Paul and Stephen A. Smith and produced by Roadside Entertainment, Chris Paul’s Ohh Dip!!! Productions, Stephen A. Smith’s Mr. SAS Inc., and ESPN+.

When social unrest swept the country as Black lives were lost at the hands of police brutality, the Pauls knew how important it was to step up and amplify Black voices. Having worked with Roadside Entertainment on the film Crossroads, which follows a group of at-risk Black kids in the Charlotte area, they felt that now was the time to showcase HBCUs and how they prepare their athletes to fight through adversity on, and off the court. 

Outside of the hallowed halls of collegiate institutions, life will by far prove to be their hardest teacher. LeVelle is not only preparing his players as athletes but the reality of what it’s like being Black in America. 

In one scene, LeVelle and his staff demonstrate what it’s like to get pulled over by the police, and arrested while driving in a car. 

Both Chris, and his brother CJ, wanted to produce a series that showcased just how important, and empowering HBCUs are. The Pauls, who grew up in North Carolina, personally know how special Historically Black Colleges and Universities are, as they come from a long-line of HBCU alums: both of their parents attended Winston Salem State, and other family members have attended both Winston-Salem, as well as North Carolina A&T. While Wake Forest was ten minutes closer to their home in Winston-Salem, the family would drive the extra twenty just to go to a Winston Salem State football game. 

If you ask CJ, there was nothing like the atmosphere at an HBCU football game. 

“It’s crazy like, it’s almost like that’s all we knew,” CJ told SLAM. “That’s what college sports was for us. Growing up in our community we were kind of like middle class but, you know my mom and dad went to Winston Salem State for short stints. We didn’t go to Wake Forest football and basketball games growing up even though Wake Forest was closer to us than Winston-Salem State was. But we would go to Winston Salem State football games after our pop warner games.”

While Paul would go on to suit up for Wake Forest, CJ took his talents to Hampton—where he learned not only what it was like to play for an illustrious HBCU institution but to be around so many different types of people. While fraternities and sororities can be seen on the quad, CJ felt like his basketball team was its own brotherhood. 

“It’s funny and you guys will probably laugh at this, at HBCU’s fraternities and sororities are a big thing. Like a huge thing. One of my teammates his name was David Johnson and he’s the one who’s known for picking coach Merfield up and they show every NCAA tournament now when they beat Iowa St. He made up a fraternity, like our fraternity when we were at the school was called Hoop Phi Hoop. So, outside the cafeteria in Hampton, everybody had their plots I guess you could say. Like he knew that Alphas was going to stand over here, and we was Hoop Phi Hoop. If one so if one of the fraternities would come out and start strolling or doing all that he would always be like “Hoop Phi Hoop!” Like I’ll never forget that. It’s crazy I was at Hampton almost twenty years ago and I’ll never forget that.”

Both of the Paul brothers have continued to use their platform to bring awareness to Black institutions and HBCUs. After deciding to work on a docu-series with Roadside, they spoke to numerous coaches from different HBCU programs about the opportunity. Yet, there was one person who immediately caught the eye of both the Pauls and John and Ron at Roadside Entertainment. 

“LeVelle is just such a captivating, motivating, engaging person who can really speak to all the issues that are going on around both from a basketball standpoint and a social justice standpoint,” says John Hirsch at Roadside. “We knew he was the guy from the first two minutes of talking.”

CJ, who has had a close relationship with LeVelle for nearly fifteen years, knew that he, and his powerhouse program at NCCU, was a story that should be shared. 

“LeVelle is what something people call the black Duke,” CJ says. “He’s one so many championships in the MEAC, he’s just a winning coach and he gets great players, and they compete. And he coaches his butt off, so we wanted to show coach and his program and some of the challenges they’ve had with only having two baskets. They got one court and that court gets shared for practices, games for men’s and women’s basketball as well as volleyball. These PWI’s or these big institutions they got a practice facility and their game facility, it’s just different.”

What HBCUs can provide is a rich history and legacy that continues to impact the game. Basketball, whether it’s played in the pros or in college, isn’t great without the influence, accomplishments and inspiration of Black people. And if we’re talkin’ hoops, just look at all that John McLendon and LeVelle Moton have done while coaching at NCCU: 

“John McLendon is one of the pioneers of basketball as we know it,” Ron Yassen points out. “And Coach Moton gets into it a little bit in the opening episode, but Mclendon is largely responsible for fast-break kind of basketball for the pace, the game that you see today can be traced back to his teachings as a coach. And I think one of the things that is fascinating is that history depends on who’s writing it. And so much of the history in America is created and has been created by African Americans, but yet the history was so often written by white Americans so what happens is so much gets lost in the telling. I think this program in basketball, there are obviously other HBCU programs in basketball, but this program has the legacy and also happens to have a coach who went to an HBCU, the same school that he’s coaching now, and came back to that school and is trying to share his own personal experience in life beyond basketball with the players in the program.”

If history depends on who is writing it, then a program’s legacy starts with a good coach, and it continues with the impact they’ve had on every player that walks into their gym. To truly understand how monumental HBCU basketball is, look no further than Why Not Us: North Carolina Central Basketball.

—

Why Not Us: North Carolina Central Basketball – A docu-series on ESPN+

Follow the NCCU basketball program over the course of the season, examining how it builds character and purpose in their players, and what it means to be a student-athlete at an HBCU. Stream now on ESPN+.

The post Why Not Us: Follow the North Carolina Central Men’s Basketball Team In This Series On ESPN+ appeared first on SLAM.

Sabonis would defeat Randle and Doncic head-to-head in the first round and semifinal round respectively, before knocking out Vucevic in the final round. Winning his first piece of hardware, Sabonis’ victory also raised an additional $75,000 for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), which finished with $250,000 in fundraising.

A challenge that tests players’ agility, ball-handling ability, passing ability and shooting touch from both inside the restricted area and outside of the arc, the Skills Challenge has been a staple of All-Star Weekend since 2003. Sabonis is the sixth big man to win the event since 2015-16, a testament to the evolution of the league and the multi-dimensionality of frontcourt players.

A two-time All-Star, Sabonis has averaged 20.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game this season, while shooting .525 percent from the field and .333 percent from 3-point range.

The post Domantas Sabonis Wins 2021 NBA All-Star Skills Challenge appeared first on SLAM.

The three-point contest will be headlined by two former champions of the event, the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry and Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker. The remainder of the three-point contest will be made up by the Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine, Utah Jazz’s Donovan Mitchell and Boston Celtics’ duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. All six of the players competing in the three-point contest will also be playing in the All-Star Game.

The NBA skills challenge will have a first-time winner, as all six entrants have yet to win the event. Five of the six players competing will be playing in the All-Star Game, those are the Suns’ Chris Paul, Dallas Mavericks’ guard Luka Doncic, Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis, New York Knicks’ forward Julius Randle and Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic. Portland Trailblazers’ forward Robert Covington is the lone participant in the skills challenge who will not feature in the All-Star Game.

That is in sharp contrast to the dunk contest participants, none of whom will be playing in the All-Star game and all of whom will be participating for the first time. The dunk contest features just three players this year, two rookies in Pacers’ Cassius Stanley and Knicks’ Obi Toppin, and the Trailblazers’ Anfernee Simons. The dunk contest has a star-studded cast of judges, all of which are former winners. Dominique Wilkins, Dee Brown, Spud Webb, Josh Smith and Jason Richardson will be the five judging the event.

These events will take place on the same day as the All-Star Game, Sunday, March 7. The skills challenge and three-point contest will occur before the game, with the dunk contest being performed at halftime.

The post NBA Announces Participants For All-Star Skills Challenge, Three-Point And Dunk Contest appeared first on SLAM.

After the game, Booker was asked what its like playing alongside a veteran like Paul and how they’ve been able to feed off of each other. Booker’s answer was perfect, talking about how they both push each other to be the best that they can possibly be. 

“Iron sharpens iron. We both hold each other accountable. We both have that similar approach where we want to win at all costs…I’m learning from him every day.”

Paul and Booker have been one of the most dynamic backcourts in the NBA this season. Paul has been mentoring and pushing Booker to bring him to another level, making Phoenix a legit playoff team. Devin Booker, just 24 years old, will benefit both now and long-term playing alongside a Hall of Famer like Chris Paul. 

The post Devin Booker On Relationship With Chris Paul: ‘Iron Sharpens Iron’ appeared first on SLAM.

I thought a lot about the concept of leadership over the next week or so. You can’t really teach it. There’s no “AP Leadership” in high school, and any “Leadership 101”-type college courses are focused more on famous leaders throughout history than learning to be the best leader you can be. I know you can become a better leader—there’s a hundred-million-dollar category of the book industry to prove it—but there’s an innateness to leadership, like you’re either someone who’s naturally interested in bringing people together and uplifting the people around you or you aren’t. Maybe that’s a little too rigid of a way to look at it; there’s clearly some gray area here. But I wasn’t sure.

So I decided I’d ask someone who would know.

Fast-forward two weeks to a blazing-hot Tuesday in Los Angeles. I’m sitting in an airy photo studio when Chris Paul walks in to take some photos for the cover of this magazine. He cycles through a few looks curated for him by his stylist Courtney Mays, then sits down to talk about the past year. Obviously the first thing I ask about is leadership—is it innate or taught? Nature or nurture? Born with or learned?

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“I think there’s a combination of both,” he says. “I say the best teacher is experience. I don’t know if it’s fortunately or unfortunately, but I’ve been in a lot of crazy situations.”

Let me pause Chris right there to zoom into that fact. Not only has Chris been in a lot of crazy situations—he’s basically the Forest Gump of the post-2005 NBA. It’s also the first thing his brother CJ says when asked about the evolution of Chris’ personality over the course of his playing career. “It’s nothing that he hasn’t already seen at this point in the NBA,” CJ says.

THE HOODIES CHRIS PAUL IS WEARING IN THESE PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE NOW AT SLAMGOODS.COM. A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS ARE GOING TO THE CHRIS PAUL FAMILY FOUNDATION.

To run through it quickly: Chris is drafted to New Orleans, but spends huge portions of his first and second seasons playing home games in Oklahoma City because of devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. Then he becomes an All-Star, becomes friends with local NOLA hero Lil Wayne, becomes the best point guard in the League and makes the playoffs a few times. Then he’s traded to the Lakers, immediately un-traded from the Lakers when David Stern vetoes the trade on behalf of non-existent Hornets ownership, then is traded to the Clippers where he forms Lob City with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. The Clippers become a perennial playoff team, Chris becomes president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and signs a fat contract to stay in L.A. for a while. But drama follows—tapes of Donald Sterling saying horribly racist things are leaked to TMZ, and CP, Griffin and Doc Rivers lead the team through what would eventually be a lifetime ban of the franchise’s now-former owner. Eventually Chris is traded to Houston, where he plays alongside James Harden, and two seasons later he’s traded to Oklahoma City in exchange for Russell Westbrook, landing back in the city he spent so much time in as a rookie.

And all of that was before this past year. On March 11, Chris was getting ready for a home game against the Utah Jazz when it was announced that opposing center Rudy Gobert had tested positive for Covid-19, leading to the shutdown of all sports and a permanent reference point for the beginning of the national quarantine. As president of the PA, Chris was essential in establishing and setting up the Orlando bubble, where regular season play began in mid-August. On August 26, following the sickening news (and video) of the police shooting of Wisconsin resident Jacob Blake, the Milwaukee Bucks stayed in the locker room and didn’t play, which led to the entire world turning on the news to see what would happen next. And what happened next, at least on our television screens, was a video of Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook—who were supposed to star in the Thunder-Rockets game later that day—walking down a hallway after deciding that their teams wouldn’t be playing, either. Chris set up a meeting for all players in the bubble to talk about the situation (more on that later), and days later play did return, and the bubble wound up being a massive success—there were zero Covid cases with the exception of a couple of players who arrived with it, the actual gameplay was amazing, important social justice messages were promoted, and, according to Chris, the players learned that as a group they’re way stronger when they’re together and unified than when they aren’t (more on that later, too).

So if experience is the best teacher, Chris has a head start, at least in terms of NBA happenings. His history of leadership goes back before his time hooping professionally, though.

Before Chris really saw a future in basketball, he played football and gravitated to middle linebacker—the leader of the defense. In the 10-and-under Pop Warner leagues he’d play quarterback, too—though as he got older he played receiver. But he was also the back-up quarterback, not even because of his passing skill so much as his natural ability to lead a group.

In seventh and eight grade, Chris was class president at school. He didn’t do it as a freshman, then picked it back up as a sophomore and held onto the role as a junior and senior. In 11th grade he was in charge of planning the junior prom, which fell on the same day as his AAU state championship game. He had to wake up at the crack of dawn to set everything up for prom at the convention center, then head to Charlotte to play (and win), then hustle back to Lewisville, NC, to pick up his prom date a few minutes late and book it to the party.

“But it seems like that,” he says, referencing his tendency to take on tons of responsibilities and deal with ’em one by one, “has sort of been the story of my life.”

After the NBA sent everyone home in mid-March, the NBA and NBPA together transitioned into “what do we do next?” mode. Chris was ready for the moment. He describes the process as a series of Zooms and phone calls, starting with a small group and gaining more and more consensus from a wider group as the bubble was becoming a reality. He credits good communication as integral to that exercise.

“I almost try to overcommunicate,” he says. “Communicating is something that I felt like we always can continue to get better at. Make sure everybody at least knows what’s going on, making sure that there’s an unbelievable team around to execute all of it. That’s the thing that I had to learn, and I’m still getting better at: You have to be able to delegate.”

“The most challenging [thing] was dealing with real-life issues,” he adds. “There’s a lot of people out there who were concerned with, Are the games gonna happen? Is basketball gonna be played? But all the players, the conversations that we were having was about real life and the social injustices that were taking place and leaving our families and the health risk because of Covid. I think that was the toughest part. Yeah, everybody wanted to hoop, but everybody’s mental health and physical health and family came first.”

The bubble got started mostly seamlessly—there were a couple of reported Covid cases when everyone descended upon Orlando, but after a mandatory quarantine time, zero players tested positive during the entirety of the remainder of the season. And then games started, and even without fans in the arena the action was truly entertaining—whether it was less travel helping with rest, the consistency of the court they played on helping with shooting percentages, or just general competitiveness built up from the time off, the players really went at it and the result was high-level gameplay.

But it was all happening very fast. Once games started, the schedule had teams playing basically every two days, and a lot of the motivation of the bubble in the first place—to bring players together so groups could more easily get together and plan social justice initiatives—weren’t happening as much as some would’ve wanted. “Guys are down there competing every day,” Chris says, “and real life is happening outside. So when the Jacob Blake situation happened, guys didn’t have the opportunity to really process it. So that gave us a chance to stop, like, Everybody stop. Let’s get in here and talk.”

After the Bucks decided they weren’t coming out of the locker room to play on August 26 and following the rest of the teams’ decision to do the same, Chris once again had to figure out next steps. One of his first calls was to NBA EVP of Events Kelly Flatow. “Kelly, we need a ballroom,” he told her. “We can do the chairs with social distance, whatever we need to do. But we need to talk.”

That meeting has been reported on many times by now, but it was an undoubtedly heated exchange. Coaches were present for the beginning, and then they left and it was just players—all the players in the bubble at the time. “The amount of quote-unquote star power that was in that room,” Chris says, “and actually in the beginning of that meeting it was coaches and players—that’s never happened. Ever ever happened.”

The group met again the following day, and by now we all know what happened next—the players did indeed stay, deciding to formulate a plan to address racial injustice issues (putting their support behind the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act) and demanding more from team owners regarding using NBA arenas as voter registration and voting hubs. “It was needed,” he says. “Without those meetings, I don’t think any more games would have been played. That gave us a chance to stop, like everybody stop, let’s get in here and talk. How are you feeling emotionally? Like, what are you feeling? And we got a chance to do that, and sort of do a reset, and to talk to the other governors about how we felt they could help support us and what some of our goals and our missions were.”

The bubble finished off successfully. The players spread important social justice messages everywhere they could—in commercials, on the backs of jerseys, on the court, and more. Plus, the fact that it was able to happen at all meant the players were able to provide for their families and loved ones. And as for Chris, he showed that at 35 years old he’s very much still got it, too. He led the Thunder, who most discounted would never make the playoffs in the first place, to a seven-game battle with the Houston Rockets. He averaged 21.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg and 5.3 apg during the series.

I asked Chris what he thinks will be the legacy of the bubble. “I think it will be something that future players will always draw back to, like, I don’t want to say defining moment, but, like, an awakening for players in understanding how powerful our voice is and how important it is to communicate with one another,” he says. “Just because we compete so hard against each other on the court doesn’t mean we have to compete like that against each other off the court. There are a lot more like-minded guys in our league than not. The ability to collaborate and partner and do things together, it will change a generation.”

Which brings us back to the idea of leadership. It can’t be easy to lead a room with a couple hundred NBA players in it, all of whom have their own strong thoughts regarding the best move for the group. On this, Chris preaches being definitive. He specifically says he refuses to sugarcoat decisions, and he won’t go to a player and say something is only happening because other people are pushing for it to happen; he’s willing to have tough conversations and say something is better for the group as a whole and it’s what needs to be done.

It’d be unfair to say Chris has a 100 percent approval rating across the League—DeMarcus Cousins has said repeatedly that he’s not a fan, and former teammate James Harden and Chris didn’t exactly see eye to eye before CP was traded to OKC in 2019. Still, his approval rating amongst a group of 400-plus millionaires—all of whom have well-deserved egos that come with being one of the 450 best basketball players on the planet—is off-the-charts high. Like, frankly, it doesn’t really make sense. It’d be almost too easy for Chris Paul to just hang out, enjoy being a basketball-playing rich guy who has a great job and a couple of iconic sponsorship deals. (Like it or not, Cliff Paul is gonna be remembered for a long time.) But instead, Chris is so consistently getting shit done that even during the two hours that we’re with him, he gets a text from one of the NBPA executives that he says he’ll “need to handle” later that day.

CJ Paul says Chris’ motivation for all of the off-court work comes in wanting to make sure the future is set up properly for those who follow in his footsteps. “I think just leaving something for the next generation of guys coming up [is his motivation],” CJ says. “As he’s been in the League, the pay has gone up—everything else has elevated. And I think he just wants that to keep happening for generations and generations and generations. What we don’t want to do is take a step back.”

And for Chris, none of this will stop anytime soon. At 35, he’s currently the only active NBA player from the 2005 draft lottery—and one of only a few still active from that draft altogether—but Chris says he has no plans to call it quits in the near future. He remains President of the PA, and who knows what challenges that’ll bring next. (For starters, there’s the 2020-21 season, which as of this writing is still totally up in the air in terms of timing.) Plus, he’s technically still class president—the senior-year class president is class president forever. Which is why in 2013, as a then-six-time NBA All-Star, Chris planned the West Forsyth High School Class of 2003 10-year reunion. “A guy as busy as him could just be like, Hey guys, I don’t have the time, y’all take it,” CJ says. “But he actually took the time to plan it out. Finding a DJ, all that.”

At the cover shoot, I ask Chris if he’s going to plan the 20-year reunion in 2023, too. “Yeah,” he says, chuckling a little. Kinda sarcastic, as if he’s trying to imply that maybe he won’t. But we both know that he’s going to do it.

—

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson. Buy your copy of SLAM 229 here.

The post Portrait of a Leader: Chris Paul on Guiding the Way appeared first on SLAM.

The rest of the inside of 229 has stories about three-time title winner Danny Green, WNBA standout rookie Chennedy Carter and the promising DJ Wagner (shout out to his pops!) We’ve also got nearly crispy 50 photos detailing both the bubble and the wubble and a pullout poster with Jamal Murray on one side and the Lakers on the other.

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 229

The post Chris Paul Covers SLAM 229 appeared first on SLAM.

Additionally included in the Oklahoma City-bound package are Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2022 first-round pick. Abdel Nader is reported to be heading to Phoenix.

The 2022 first-round pick that Oklahoma City will acquire is top-12 protected in 2022, top-10 protected in 2023, top-eight protected in 2024 and unprotected thereafter, Shams Charania of The Athletic adds.

The acquisition of Paul signals a serious commitment to winning now for the Suns. Devin Booker’s squad went undefeated in the bubble but still missed out on the playoffs in the West.

With Booker back in 2020-21, Deandre Ayton about to begin his third NBA campaign and now the addition of a future Hall of Famer in Paul, the team’s ceiling is the highest it has been in years.

The Suns had options to take back Paul’s $40-plus million contract and ended up acquiring CP3 as an over-the-cap team. As a result, the inclusion of Oubre was necessary.

Oubre averaged 18.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for the Suns in 2019-20 and will now join a rebuilding Thunder team at just 24 years of age.

Paul will now play for his fourth team in four seasons after spending last year leading a resurgent Thunder squad to the postseason. He spent the 2018-19 season with the Houston Rockets and was a member of the Los Angeles Clippers before that.

Paul’s arrival in Phoenix will reunite him with head coach Monty Williams. Williams was Paul’s coach during part of his tenure with the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans).

The post Suns, Thunder Finalizing Chris Paul Trade appeared first on SLAM.

No trade is imminent considering that the league’s transaction moratorium hasn’t officially been lifted.

The largest impediment to any Paul trade is the veteran’s $41 million contract in 2020-21 but if Phoenix finds a way to incorporate such a deal, they’ll instantly provide an already promising young team with a proven difference maker.

Paul turned heads with his success guiding the Thunder to the postseason after the departures of Paul George and Russell Westbrook. It stands to reason that a Suns team that went undefeated in the bubble could make even more noise with a future Hall of Famer in the lineup.

As we wrote about in our Phoenix Suns offseason preview, the Suns can free up $18 million in cap space renouncing the rights to their free agents. That’s not necessarily the course of action they would pursue in order to nab Paul but the flexibility is there.

If the Suns decide to keep the rights to their free agents and act as a team over the cap, they would need to export $33.05 million (h/t ESPN’s Bobby Marks) in order to onboard Paul.

Ricky Rubio, Phoenix’s current point guard, will earn $17 million this season and could be a Thunder-bound option in a potential trade.

The Suns hold the No. 10 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

The post Report: Phoenix Suns Discuss Chris Paul Trade appeared first on SLAM.

Being seventh in NBA history in both career assists and steals doesn’t help either.

Such is the life when you’re Chris Paul, one of the most talented players to have never made it to the NBA Finals, let alone to win a championship. Because of the RINGZ culture’s emphasis on the importance of winning championships, the rise of score-first point guards like Stephen Curry and Paul’s at-times abrasive personality, Paul has somehow become underrated in the league.

Not just currently but historically, as it’s become commonplace for fans to dismiss Paul’s case as an all-time great player.

Unsurprisingly, another instance of Paul’s greatness being sold short occurred rather recently, as an Instagram user suggested that CP3 join the Los Angeles Lakers — the reigning NBA champions — because not having a ring is what keeps CP3 from being in the Hall of Fame conversation.

Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant, an outspoken player who often takes to social media to engage in basketball debates, found the comment laughable.

“Chris Paul in the hall of fame already,” writes the two-time Finals MVP.

At 35 years old, Paul has enjoyed a long and fruitful career, emerging as one of the most popular players in the NBA for a decade and remaining one of the league’s top players after 15 seasons.

Although he has yet to win a championship, it’s worth mentioning that the NBA Finals have been dominated by LeBron James, the Splash Brothers’ Golden State Warriors, Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers and Tim Duncan’s San Antonio Spurs since Paul entered the league.

Perhaps joining the Lakers or some other juggernaut would boost his chances of winning a ring and his respect among a certain segment of fans.

Nobody should take the stance that Paul isn’t a first-ballot Hall of Fame player already though; that opinion is indisputably wrong.

The post Kevin Durant Defends Chris Paul’s Hall of Fame Status appeared first on SLAM.

The Social Change Fund worked in collaboration with Chopra Global to team up with organizations hard at work serving large minority populations, including Teach for America, DonorsChoose and HBCU Heroes.

“Teachers have the essential role of helping to shape the minds of the next generation and our future leaders, and given the challenging year we’ve had, this partnership is more important than ever,” Anthony said in a formal press release.

The admirable collaboration is the latest in a long line of efforts that NBA players, led in large part by active veterans like Paul and Anthony, have embarked upon this year.

The organizations will provide teachers with access to self-care and mindfulness resources, including Chopra Global’s Meditation and Well-Being app geared toward enhancing the mental health and reducing the stress of its users.

“Equipping our teachers with this tool to assist them in that journey is imperative,” Paul said.

The post The Social Change Fund Partners with Chopra Global to Provide Support for Teachers appeared first on SLAM.

Anthony, 36, is coming off a resurgent season with the Blazers and has recently said that he hopes to re-sign with Portland. But if Paul is traded to the Knicks, Anthony “is likely to want to follow,” per Berman.

The Knicks have been reportedly preparing initial trade offers to bring Paul to New York. Even if Paul goes elsewhere, Knicks president Leon Rose would be open to signing Anthony, reports Berman.

Anthony averaged 15.4 points and 6.1 boards as a full-time starter with the Blazers last season.

The post Report: Chris Paul Trade Could Lead To Carmelo Anthony’s Return to Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

Since the 2011-12 season, there’s been just one player who wins the award as a season-long accomplishment; having five winners demonstrates the league’s view on how important these players have been in such a critical year.

Paul and Brown are both Executive Committee Members for the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), with Paul holding the position of president since 2013 and Brown the youngest of six vice presidents after being voted in back in 2019. Dwight Powell is on the NBPA’s Board of Player Representatives, as the Player Representative for the Dallas Mavericks.

When looking at the accomplishments of this quintet, they’re impressive individually but paint a promising picture collectively.

Each of these players has either led or been a part of a peaceful protest decrying social injustices and pleading for a betterment of society. Sizable donations have been made to programs that aid families and individuals impacted by the Coronavirus. Several programs have actually been started by these players, providing or improving the opportunity for educational and economic success, or funding healthcare for cancer patients.

Recognizing the efforts of these players highlights their character, and because of the influence that professional athletes have, there could hardly be a better group of men to receive the honor and be role models.

Powell perhaps summed it up best, saying that “being a member of a community means lending your neighbor a hand whenever needed and searching for ways to help make your community a better place for all who live there.”

The post Five NBA Players Recognized for Humanitarian Efforts appeared first on SLAM.

Potential trades discussed within the Knicks organization have involved Julius Randle and Kevin Knox, per Macri.

Paul, 35, has two years and $85.6 million left on his contract, which was negotiated by Paul’s former agent and current Knicks president Leon Rose. Paul had a resurgent season in OKC, leading a young Thunder team to the playoffs.

The Knicks believe Paul could have a positive effect on their core group of young players, while helping build a winning culture in New York, per SNY’s Ian Begley.

The Knicks, however, are reportedly not the only organization interested in Paul. Should CP3 decide that he wants to play for a championship contender next season, New York could be out of the running.

The post Report: Knicks Preparing Trade Offer for Chris Paul appeared first on SLAM.

The main focus of their discussion: How could they take advantage of the growing spotlight placed on Paul’s fashion and sneakers to send a message? And what would that message be?

They eventually settled on a plan to support Black designers and historically Black colleges and universities via school apparel. Though Paul went to Wake Forest, practically everyone else in his family attended an HBCU.

Shortly after, Mays made a visit to Texas Southern, her father’s alma mater. She went to the campus bookstore to purchase a souvenir and noticed a sweatshirt that looked perfect for Paul. 

Fast forward to opening night at the Toyota Center. CP3 walked through the tunnel to the locker room wearing that hoodie. Cameras captured the moment; social media accounts shared it; reporters asked about it; blogs wrote about it.

Awareness started spreading. The plan started working.

“I remember wearing the Texas Southern hoodie and all the responses I got from people, like, I went there, I went there,” recalls Paul. “I think a lot of people need to know that some of their favorite people, whoever it may be, they are products of historically Black colleges and universities.”

Two years later, with Paul preparing for the NBA’s 2019-20 restart in Orlando, the approach remained the same. He came up with an idea to use his Jordan sneakers as a canvas to celebrate different HBCUs in the Thunder’s eight remaining regular season games. (So far, he’s represented North Carolina A&T, Alabama A&M, Howard, Livingstone and Albany State. More to come.) Each pair has the respective institution’s name, logo and color scheme; and Paul has also written words on the midsoles related to the nationwide fight against racism and police brutality.

Mays worked to put together outfits that either matched the kicks directly or highlighted other notable causes. According to her, 99 percent of what Paul brought to the bubble is either made by a Black designer, promotes an HBCU or contains a social justice message.

With the HBCUs, the objective is to tell a complete story and really try to educate fans. Paul also partnered with Support Black Colleges, a clothing line founded by two Howard students, to assist at that goal. The company creates graphics for Paul’s Instagram to be posted after the games, providing additional information about the HBCU featured that day (location, motto, fun facts and more).

“Seeing how the tunnel walks have become this monumental moment—guys are watching the game but they’re also watching to see on social what the guys are wearing—we thought, Wow, we can use this moment as a storytelling opportunity,” Mays tells SLAM. “I feel like now more than ever I’ve found my voice and my purpose as a stylist with Chris, because we’re able to use fashion and sport to really champion things that are important to us.”

We caught up with Paul to break down that impactful mission.

—

SLAM: When did you realize the power of fashion and sneakers to convey certain messages?

Chris Paul: First, I want to say thank you to Courtney. I think a lot of times obviously people see me, as I’m the one out there playing and performing, but Courtney—she’s everything. We’ve talked about this and [saw] it all come together some years ago. We just talked about our platform. It started out with the opportunity to champion African American designers. It’s been so cool in the process not only to shed light on some of these designers who maybe at times wouldn’t be seen or get that platform, but I think it’s been cool for me to learn and get more educated.

SLAM: How has sneaker culture grown since the beginning of your career, giving players a bigger platform for expression?

CP: I’ve been in the League for a while now so I’ve had an opportunity to see a League when it was all about Nike iD. I’ll never forget how excited I was when the Brand finally put my shoe on Nike iD, because you felt like that was an opportunity and a way that you could tell stories. I designed a couple of shoes with my kids and that was storytelling. I think highlighting Black creatives and celebrating historically Black colleges and universities has been another opportunity to tell stories.

SLAM: Can you walk me through the decision to pay homage to a different HBCU in each game? Why was that important to you?

CP: Yeah, we got a crazy team. Obviously, that’s Courtney; it’s my little cousin AJ Richardson who went to North Carolina A&T; my brother who played his freshman year at Hampton University. We’re from the South. We’re from North Carolina. I grew up down the street from Winston Salem State University. We’ve known about the North Carolina Centrals, the Livingstones, the A&Ts, the Hamptons, the Howards—I could go on and on. So that’s naturally part of my culture. I’m one of the only people in my family that didn’t attend an HBCU. But deep down inside, I feel like I did or I wish I would have.

I think it’s really important to me because I’m one of those people who got a lot more interested in history as I got older. When I was a kid and going through it, I wasn’t really paying attention. It was just like, That’s that and that’s that. Now that I’ve gotten older, I’ve done a lot of research into HBCUs and see that they don’t get the same funding that a lot of these other schools get—different PWIs [predominately white institutions] and different colleges. What I’ve understood in doing the research is that a lot of these HBCUs are the schools that are educating our culture, our people. So why not try to make sure they can get the same recognition? Why can’t we try to make sure that they’re funded properly? I think that’s the thing when you look at the athletic departments. That’s the one thing that a lot of these big schools have on the HBCUs—the facilities. LeVelle Moton, who’s the head coach at North Carolina Central, which is a top tier program year in and year out—we’re trying to figure out how we can get them the same facilities that you see at Kentucky. Or Mo Williams, who is now at Alabama State. I think it comes back to the education of it. I think with everything going on now, it’s awareness. A lot of awareness. You got Kyle O’Quinn in the NBA who went to Norfolk State. I was walking this morning to the bus and talking to Darrell Armstrong, who went to Fayetteville State.

SLAM: What advice would you give to a high school player who’s considering going to an HBCU?

CP: I’m fortunate enough to have an AAU program. Year in and year out we have some of the top kids, so I’ve gotten an opportunity to know not only kids in our program but kids in other programs. I think for me, I don’t ever tell any kid what school to go to. But especially now, just tell them to understand their power and their leverage. It’s a different day in that if you can play and you’re talented, they’re going to come to you. So it doesn’t matter what school you’re at. If you’re at Winston Salem State, if you’re at Coppin State, if you’re at Norfolk State, if you’re at North Carolina Central, if you’re at any of these schools or wherever it may be—they are going to find you.

SLAM: You helped lead a master class at North Carolina A&T last year about sports, media and entertainment. What was the inspiration to do that?

CP: I was fortunate enough some years ago to go to a class at Harvard business school with this amazing professor named Anita Elberse. The class is amazing—you get a chance to do these case studies—and I’ll never forget it. And as I looked into things, I was like, Man, we’re doing these unbelievable case studies on all of these different people—there’s a Dwyane Wade case study, there’s a Jay-Z case study, there’s a LeBron case study, there’s one on Beyonce and many other people—this is a dope class. Why aren’t classes like this at HBCUs? So I reached out to [Elberse] and she didn’t hesitate. She was like, “Chris, just let me know what I need to do.” And so we partnered and we said we wanted to introduce it at North Carolina A&T. I’m telling you, this past summer when we had the introductory class, it was one of the best feelings I think I’ve ever had in life. To see an idea like that come together and to see students just engage in something and to see where it came from.

SLAM: You’ve also been inscribing messages on the midsoles of your sneakers, such as “Can’t Give Up Now” and “Breonna Taylor.” What’s the process of deciding what to write there?

CP: I do it in the locker room before the game. It’s funny, because people see “Can’t Give Up Now” and it’s got so many different meanings. Right now, it means we can’t give up as far as our struggle and fight for equality and social justice. Where it came from is—I listen to gospel music before the games. Most people would be like, What? You listen to gospel music to get you going before a game? One of my favorite songs since I was younger is a song by Mary Mary called “Can’t Give Up Now.” That’s why I write it on my shoes because I always listen to that song. If you listen to the song and it doesn’t touch you, something might be wrong with you. [laughs]

I also write Breonna Taylor’s name on my shoes every game because the cops still haven’t been arrested and we want to keep that pressure on [Kentucky Attorney General] Daniel Cameron and everybody behind him.

SLAM: As head of the NBPA, you were instrumental in getting the League to put social justice messages on the backs of jerseys. Can you talk more broadly about how the entire NBA is using the platform of the season to push for change?

CP: It’s been powerful and I think the coolest part is just to see how guys have come together. Guys have really connected. For some of these guys that you’ve been unbelievable competitors against, you never knew that you had so many things in common with them. Tobias Harris—I played against him, sort of knew him and whatnot. But here [in Orlando], I’ve gotten a chance to know him, Kyle O’Quinn and a few of those guys just from conversations about social injustice. I think it’s dope because at the end of the day, this is about unity and using this platform to amplify often-muted voices to effect change.

SLAM: You said previously that the new jerseys give a voice to the voiceless. Do you view messaging on sneakers the same way?

CP: No question. I say that because after every game, not every player goes up and gets the microphone. After a given game, a guy can score 15, but the guy who scores 32 is usually going to be doing the postgame interview. It’s a way to express yourself. It’s a way for you to say something that’s on your mind. And you may not want to say it physically, but you may want to show support to somebody or something like that. It gives you that opportunity.

SLAM: You recently helped launch the Social Change Fund, which will support pressing issues impacting the Black community. How did you, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade work together to start it?

CP: We’ve all had an opportunity to do so many different things on our own over the years. This was an opportunity for us to come together. And that rarely happens, especially in sports because everything is always verses, you against them, I can do this better than you. But it was all about igniting conversations around issues like police brutality, educational reform, systemic racism—all these different things. And what we want is other guys who are passionate about those same subjects to join. It’s not something that we put together to be divisive. The Social Change Fund is inclusive. Anybody that wants to be a part of it, they’re welcome.

SLAM: Lastly, just want to give you an opportunity to pass on a message to the next generation or spread any message that you’d like regarding social justice and the fight for equality.

CP: I think the biggest thing is—a lot of times guys wonder, Is it OK to say this? Can I do this? Is it the right time? I think you just have to be comfortable with yourself and know who you are, especially as athletes. And don’t ever look at yourself as being just an athlete. Because at the end of the day, I’m a husband, I’m a brother, I’m a child, I’m a father. All of those things come before being an athlete. So historically, athletes as advocates have been so important in raising awareness to create change. You look at people like Muhammad Ali, Tommie Smith, John Carlos and Colin Kaepernick. We can make a difference.

—

Alex Squadron is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Photos via Getty.

The post Chris Paul On Supporting HBCUs and Fighting for Social Justice appeared first on SLAM.

—

Along with a group of philanthropists and entrepreneurs, NBA superstars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade have launched the Social Change Fund, which aims to support critical and timely issues impacting the Black community.

Here’s the mission statement from the fund’s website: “Our mission is to invest in and support organizations that are working to liberate Black people and advocate for indigenous people and communities of color through the lens of policy solutions, community representation and narrative change. Our partner organizations work to accelerate social change and sustainably build a fair, equitable society.”

Paul, Wade and Anthony have long been outspoken about systemic racism, police brutality, criminal justice reform and more. They have been leaders throughout the Black Lives Matter movement, using their respective platforms to continue to push for change.

“The Social Change Fund will help advance racial equality and opportunity,” said Paul, per the press release. “We will unite with other individuals who share our vision and commitment to use our collective voices and resources to advocate for change and foster a more equitable future.”

“The magnitude of racial inequality is staggering with Black lives socially, politically and economically marginalized,” added Wade. “We are committed to supporting organizations that directly represent and benefit the Black community with the Social Change Fund. Our goal is to create a pathway for inclusion and success by deploying the necessary funds and resources to invest in long-term change.”

“When all else fails to organize us, conditions will,” Anthony said. “We established the Social Change Fund to invest in and support organizations working to champion criminal justice reform, enact policy solutions, and advocate for the human rights of all Black lives now and for generations to come. I stand for everything this Fund and its beneficiaries support and will not stop pushing for progress until we see an end to the systemic racism that the Black community has faced for too long. We will keep on pushing. We will not lose focus.”

Melo recently served as the Guest Editor-in-Chief of SLAM’s #ItStopsNow issue focused on social justice and activism as seen through the lens of basketball. He appears on the cover (below) with his son Kiyan.

100 percent of proceeds from the magazine will be donated to the Social Change Fund.  Grab your copy here.

For more information on the Social Change Fund, visit their website.

The post Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade Launch ‘Social Change Fund’ appeared first on SLAM.

“I actually never wanted to come out West,” recalls Paul, who was hooping for the then-New Orleans Hornets.

Former Dubs general manager, Larry Riley, has refuted that a blockbuster swap for CP3 was ever discussed.

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“Yeah, I remember it. True story,” Paul told Maverick Carter and Paul Rivera.

“Yep. that happened with a few teams. I actually never wanted to come out West. I’m born and raised on the East Coast, so I never was crazy about [Los Angeles] and all that until I finally got out here and lived out here. But at that time, all I really knew about The Bay, because I had been there to play the games, and everything was so hilly … “

The deal fell through when Paul said he wouldn’t re-sign with the Warriors, who at the time, were not yet a consistent NBA playoff team.

“First off, that’s false. That never took place,” Riley said on 95.7 The Game on April 17. “And therefore, I think everyone learned something. When you — I had to tell my mother this because she grew up in the days of Walter Cronkite — when you see something on TV or you read it in the newspaper, it’s not necessarily true.”

Related Chris Paul Appreciated Blake Griffin a ‘Lot More After’ Leaving Clippers

The post ‘True Story’: Chris Paul Rejected 2011 Trade to Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

Thunder point guard Chris Paul, Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine and Hawks floor general Trae Young are reportedly set to face off.

The showcase, inspired by the League’s current hiatus due to the coronavirus global pandemic, is also expected to include WNBA stars and retired NBA players.

Per ESPN:

The NBA and ESPN are finalizing plans to televise a H-O-R-S-E shooting competition, with stars Chris Paul of Oklahoma City, Trae Young of Atlanta and Zach LaVine of Chicago among those expected to participate, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

LaVine competed in the NBA 2K20 Players Tournament, losing in the first round last week.

The NBA suspended play on March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic, and there is no expectation that the league can resume play anytime soon.

Current NBA isolation protocols governing players prohibit them from competing together in the same location.

Related Adam Silver: NBA Won’t Decide on Season Until at ‘Least’ May

The post Trae Young, Zach LaVine, Chris Paul to Compete in H-O-R-S-E appeared first on SLAM.

They had their “issues,” according to Paul, who adds that he didn’t realize what he had with Griffin and the Lob City crew until it was too late.

Per NBC Sports (via the “All the Smoke” podcast):

“It’s seriously one of those things you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone,” Paul said.

“I think about it at times. And me and Blake Griffin absolutely had our issues here and there, but I actually appreciated Blake probably a lot more after I left.”

CP3, who serves as head of the players’ union, also addressed the NBA’s forced hiatus due to the coronavirus global pandemic:

“In this situation, nobody knows,” Paul said.

“Like it’s crazy, I was talking to Adam [Silver] the other day … shout out to Adam and the fact that he actually communicates with us and is trying to figure out what’s right. But, just there’s no answers right now. Everybody’s just basically gotta wait and see how this thing plays out. Obviously, at the end of the day, we all miss hooping … I don’t think we all realize how much we appreciate the game, or appreciate all the little things.”

Related Chris Paul on Turning Down Player Option: ‘No Chance’

The post Chris Paul Appreciated Blake Griffin a ‘Lot More After’ Leaving Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

The Point God, Chris Paul.

At first glance, everyone knows CP3 is a great point guard, but his legacy has been clouded about the usual claims of being a bad teammate and having only made the Conference Finals once. Now, he’s playing perhaps the best basketball of his career at age 34 in one of the smallest markets in the league.

There is too much focus on what Paul has not accomplished as opposed to what he has. He couldn’t win with the Hornets (now Pelicans), so he forced his way out. He never was able to help channel the tremendous collective talent of the Lob City Clippers into a truly formidable playoff force, and eventually forced himself out again. It’s quite a shame that the Clippers team never made real noise when it mattered, and it’s the main reason why Paul’s legacy is tainted. 

Then there was the trade to the Rockets, a two-year tenure for Paul that serves as its own Rorschach Test. Glass half-full truthers probably view the Rockets pitstop as a massive success. Houston averaged 59 wins per season, and pushed the mighty Golden State Warriors farther than any team had ever done. Paul and Harden were an uber efficient on-court pairing that was ultimately snakebitten by Paul’s untimely hamstring injury during the 2018 playoffs. The pessimist will probably point out that the Rockets still failed to make the Finals, couldn’t stop bickering with officials, and Paul experienced another untimely injury. By the end of his Rockets tenure, his relationship with Harden was deemed “unsalvageable”, according to Yahoo’s Vincent Goodwill.

Once he was traded to Oklahoma City this summer along with two first-round picks for Russell Westbrook, many pundits reasonably wondered if Paul would even accept playing for the Thunder. Another trade to reroute him to a contender was floated around as a legitimate possibility before nothing materialized and ace Thunder general manager Sam Presti agreed with Paul that he would play for the Thunder.

And he has been fantastic.

It’s pretty incredible that Paul is playing prime basketball at an age where most guards have either taken a dramatic step back or washed out of the league entirely. The Thunder are almost 12 points better per 100 possessions when Paul is on the court compared to when he is off, according to NBA.com/Stats. He will slice opponents up in a multitude of ways. It’s been a pick your poison type proposition for teams this season. 

He’s once again a technician dissecting opponents through the pick and roll, as the Thunder score 1.09 points per possession as a result of a Paul pick and roll. That puts CP3 in the 94th percentile league wide. And when teams overload on Paul when he has the ball, he has the luxury of handing it off to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder, two explosive young guards having excellent seasons.

Paul is thriving in any role on the court. He sports an impressive 63% effective field goal percentage as a spot up shooter, good for the 90th percentile in the league. He’ll scrap for rebounds, tackle the most menacing perimeter defensive assignment when the Thunder resort to their trusty three-guard lineup, and has displayed nearly impeccable durability, playing in 62 of the team’s 63 games thus far.

Perhaps his most impressive accomplishment this season has been his performance in the clutch, which is one of the few gripes critics have harped on over his career. This season, he is eviscerating everyone in his path when the game gets down to the wire. He’s shooting 55% from the field in the clutch (defined as the last five minutes of a close game), 93% from the line and sports a league-best +27 net rating. All of those numbers are better than his averages throughout the course of the season. It’s like going from being Batman during most of the game, then acquiring superpowers when things heat up.

He’s also been a model teammate and mentor to Gilgeous-Alexander and the rest of the youthful Thunder players, a role he has not had as much as you think (the Rockets and Clippers were both veteran-laden teams).

Paul’s impact has been infectious. Just ask Gregg Popovich.

“Chris is an alpha. He’s a natural leader. He takes no prisoners. He suffers no fools. He’s there to win. When you have somebody like that it really influences the entire crowd for sure,” Popovich said, according to The Athletic’s Erik Horne.

OKC is currently in the thick of the playoff seeding race, and it’s going to be special to see Paul hopefully make magic happen this postseason, one graceful fadeaway midrange jumper and scowl at a time.

Isaiah Freedman is a social editor at SLAM. He also works with the NBA Summer League, Syracuse Men’s Basketball team, and as an assistant player trainer for Chris Johnson Hoops.

The post Player Appreciation Series: Chris Paul appeared first on SLAM.

Spencer Dinwiddie scored a team-high 24 points in Brooklyn, including two clutch free throws down the stretch. Joe Harris and Caris LeVert each had 23 apiece.

Pelicans 120 (28-36), Timberwolves (19-44)

Jrue Holiday (37 points) was one rebound and two assists away from a triple-double. Zion Williamson was the Pels’ second-leading scorer with 23 points and had a MEAN windmill dunk the fourth quarter.

Lakers 112 (49-13), Clippers 103 (43-20)

LeBron James (30 points) and Anthony Davis (28 points) combined for 58 points in Sunday’s matinee against the Clippers. Avery Bradley was the other starter who finished in double digits, scoring 24 points.

Suns 140 (26-38), Bucks 131 (53-11)

All five Suns starters finished in double digits – Devin Booker (36 points), Ricky Rubio (25), Aron Baynes (24), Mikal Bridges (24) and Dario Saric (11).

Thunder 105 (40-24), Celtics 104 (42-21)

Dennis Schroder made the game-winning layup after stripping the ball from Jayson Tatum with 8.5 seconds in the 4th quarter. The Thunder overcame a 18-point deficit due to the stellar play of Schroder (27 points) and Chris Paul (28 points).

Heat 100 (41-23), Wizards 89 (23-40)

Bam Adebayo finished with a double-double (27 points and 14 rebounds) in the Nation’s Capitol. Ducan Robinson caught fire from deep, knocking down six 3-pointers, en route to a 23-point performance.

Pacers 112 (39-25), Mavericks 109 (39-26)

Victor Oladpio scored the final six points to give Indiana the W in Dallas. Domantas Sabonis finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds, TJ Warren and Myles Turner had 16 apiece.

Magic 126 (29-35), Rockets 106 (39-24)

Orlando’s bench came up huge in H-Town – D.J. Augustin scored a team-high 24 points, and Michael Carter-Williams and Terrence Ross each had 16. Aaron Gordon finished with 19 points.

Knicks 96 (20-44), Pistons 84 (20-45)

New York pulled away in the fourth to get the win at The Garden. Julius Randle had 22 points and 12 rebounds, Elfird Payton finished 16 points and RJ Barrett added 12.

Queensbridge’s finest. (via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/BTUvAOyhTd

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 9, 2020

Cavaliers 132 (19-45), Spurs 129 (26-36)

After Rudy Gay hit a jumper to force OT, Kevin Love’s late-game 3-pointer gave the Cavs the lead. Love finished with 14 points, Andre Drummond had 28 points and 12 rebounds and Collin Sexton finished with 26.

Raptors 118 (45-18), Kings 113 (28-36)

Both teams went back and forth, but Pascal Siakam made some huge plays to give Toronto the edge on the road. Siakam finished with 23 points. Norman Powell finished with 31 points and Kyle Lowry had 30 points.

The post Post Up: LeBron & AD Combine for 58 Points in Battle for LA appeared first on SLAM.

Paul’s substantial contract complicates any acquisition but that hasn’t stopped the franchise from gathering intel on the 34-year-old as he guides a young OKC squad to the playoffs in the Western Conference.

The Knicks could easily free up enough cap space to absorb the $41.4M that Paul will be owed in 2020-21 thanks to the team options built into the majority of the contracts the team doled out in 2019.

The decision to invest substantially in a veteran player in the twilight of his career may seem counter-intuitive to Knicks fans clamoring for a genuine attempt at a rebuild but, as Isola writes, Paul’s leadership and ability to help teams win ball games is appealing.

In addition to the $41.4M Paul will earn next season, he holds a player option worth $44.2M in 2021-22, which would eat up a sizable chunk of cap space in a summer when the team could theoretically pursue a player like Giannis Antetokounmpo.

It’s unclear what the Thunder may seek in return for Paul but just six short months ago the club was frequently mentioned in trade speculation, eager to get out from contract they brought back in the Russell Westbrook deal.

The post Report: Knicks Could Make Run At Chris Paul appeared first on SLAM.

While the veteran dons an Oklahoma City Thunder jersey these days, he’s established himself as an immensely valuable – and appreciated – asset.

“No chance. That’s not happening. Nope,” Paul told Rohan Nadkarni of Sports Illustrated when asked if he’d ditch the payout that some see as a major hurdle in the way of his being sent to a title contender via trade.

Paul may not finish his contract with the Thunder when all is said and done but he’s making the most of his time in Oklahoma City and his influence on the organization has been an unquestionably positive one.

“All I can say is that Chris has been all we could have hoped for and more,” franchise general manager Sam Presti said in the same, highly recommended SI piece.

The Thunder, who many had written off prior to the start of the 2019-20 season, have enjoyed a wildly successful 25-19 campaign and Paul’s role as a leader and mentor have been instrumental to that.

At no point since he arrived in Oklahoma City has Paul or his representation requested a trade, instead the 34-year-old has helped to develop standout sophomore Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and held his own in the team’s suddenly spectacular three-point guard lineup.

Paul has averaged 17.0 points and 6.4 assists per game in his first 44 games with the Thunder.

We’ve written previously about supposed interest in Paul from the Miami Heat, as well as how the market for the expensive veteran may not be that lucrative after all.

While that may have thrown a wrench in what the plans were initially, it’s hard to see the ensuing events as anything but another success in Oklahoma City.

The post Chris Paul on Turning Down Player Option: ‘No Chance’ appeared first on SLAM.

Westbrook scored a game-high 34 points, but his Houston Rockets fell 113-92.

“I felt like I was home,” Russ told reporters, adding that he has zero regrets about his 11 memorable years in OKC.

Per The Oklahoman and AP:

“I felt like I was home,” Westbrook said. “Plain and smile. I didn’t get this feeling like it was weird. It’s just I felt like I was playing, back at Chesapeake. Like a normal game for me, honestly. Not a normal night, but me personally, once I got on the floor, that’s how I feel.”

The final was 113-92. Everyone was reminded that Westbrook will forever be loved — although a Thunder-Rockets playoff series could test the resolve of even the most ardent Russ fan — and this Thunder squad is winning fans of its own.

“Obviously, we got smacked,” [James] Harden said. “But it was a dope environment. Oklahoma City, as usual, showed mad love to Russell and everything he’s done for those 11 years he was here. Obviously, an unbelievable fan base, and it was just a beautiful thing to see.”

Westbrook was the last remaining player from the team that began playing in Oklahoma City in 2008 after the franchise left Seattle.

“I don’t regret one thing being here in Oklahoma City,” he said. “I don’t regret signing back, I don’t regret staying here. I don’t regret anything that I did here. I feel like I left everything out on the floor every single night and did what I could for the city.”

Related Post Up: Russell Westbrook Scores 34 Points in First Return to OKC

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Tristan Thompson put up a career-high 35 points and 14 rebounds to help Cleveland win in overtime. Andre Drummond led the Pistons with 28 points and 23 rebounds.

Celtics 98 (25-11), 76ers 109 (25-14)

Philadelphia earned the home win even without Joel Embiid. Josh Richardson paced the 76ers with 29 points and 7 assists. Kemba Walker scored 26 points in the loss.

Blazers 102 (16-23), Timberwolves 116 (15-22)

The game slipped away from Portland in the second and third quarters, losing the scoring battle 31-13 and 41-27 in those periods alone. Andrew Wiggins put up 23 points and 8 rebounds for Minnesota.

Rockets 92 (25-12), Thunder 113 (22-16)

It was nothing but love for Russell Westbrook in his first return to OKC. Westbrook had a good scoring night with 34 points, but his team failed to crack 100 points as the Thunder overwhelmed them.

Danilo Gallinari led OKC with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Chris Paul registered 18 points against his former team.

The post Post Up: Russell Westbrook Scores 34 Points in First Return to OKC appeared first on SLAM.

It was the Melo show in Toronto tonight. He dropped a season-high 28 points on 10-17 shooting, including a game-winning pull-up jumper with 3 seconds left to lift the Blazers to the impressive road win. Damian Lillard added 20 points and Hassan Whiteside finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds for Portland. For the Raptors, Kyle Lowry dropped 24 in the loss.

Pistons 115 (14-24), Cavaliers 113 (10-27)

Detroit outscored Cleveland 31-18 in the fourth quarter, and Derrick Rose hit a smooth go-ahead floater with 26 seconds left to secure the win on the road. The bucket gave Rose 2 of his team-high 24 points, and Andre Drummond was a monster again, finishing with 23 points and 20 rebounds. Kevin Love led the Cavs in the loss, dropping 30 points on 12-15 shooting.

Thunder 111 (21-16), Nets 103 (16-20)

After Chris Paul tied the game with a pull-up jumper, Spencer Dinwiddie missed a free throw in the final seconds, sending the game to OT. The Thunder outscored the Nets 10-2 in overtime, giving struggling Brooklyn their 7th straight loss. CP3 was awesome, dropping 20 of his game-high 28 in the fourth quarter and OT. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his stellar play, dropping 22 for OKC. The nets were lead by Taurean Prince, who finished with 21 points and 8 rebounds, and Caris LeVert, who dropped 20 off the bench.

Grizzlies 119 (16-22), Timberwolves 112 (14-22)

The Grizzlies scored 37 fourth quarter points to secure their third win in a row. Memphis was led by Ja Morant, who finished with 25 points (12-18 FG) and 7 assists, and Dillon Brooks, who dropped a game-high 28 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points in the win. For Minnesota, the rookie Jarrett Culver finished with a season-high 24 points on 8-11 shooting.

Kings 114 (15-23), Suns 103 (14-23)

The Kings stormed back late to beat the Suns, winning the fourth quarter by a score of 36-16. De’Aaron Fox led the way with 27 points and 6 assists, and Nemanja Bjelica added 19 points and 7 rebounds. For Phoenix, Devin Booker dropped 34, his seventh straight game with 30+ points. Deandre Ayton added 21 points and 9 rebounds in the loss.

Lakers 117 (30-7), Knicks 87 (10-27)

The Lakers dominated the Knicks throughout to pick up their 30th win of the season. LeBron James led the way, finishing with 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Anthony Davis left the game in the third quarter after a scary fall, but x-rays on his lower back were negative. For the Knicks, RJ Barrett dropped a team-high 19 points.

The post Post Up: Melo’s Game-Winner Lifts Blazers Over Raptors appeared first on SLAM.

The Celtics are the real deal. This time last year, there were clearly chemistry issues and something seemed off. But this season has been a complete heel turn.

The two main factors to thank? Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, who have both leveled up their games to an All-Star level caliber. Brown had a career-high 34 points with 9 rebounds, while Tatum had 30 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks as the Celtics improved to 13-1 at home.

There’s not much better to watch two young studs realize their potential and turn that into consistent dominant production. Brown is 23-years-old, and Tatum 21. They aren’t going away anytime soon.

Magic 98 (14-17), 76ers 97 (23-11)

The Magic hung on for one of their best wins of the season against a 76ers team that, albeit inconsistent, was coming off a fresh pounding of the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks. Aaron Gordon had himself 19 points and 11 rebounds (and one sweet lob throw down), Nikola Vucevic had a 19-12-7 line, and Terrence Ross contributed 17 off the bench.

Bucks 112 (28-5), Hawks 86 (6-26)

Absent Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe, the Bucks still managed to steamroll the slumping Hawks. Trusty veteran Ersan Ilyasova was phenomenal in only 24 minutes, recording 18 points, 17 rebounds and a monster + 37 plus/minus in relief for the resting Greek Freak. Khris Middleton also had a highly efficient game, scoring 23 points, grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing 7 assists.

It was another brutal loss for the lottery-bound Hawks, who unfortunately lost Trae Young to an ankle injury halfway through the game, but X rays were luckily negative. Get well soon Trae, the league is not the same without you.

Thunder 104 (16-15), Hornets 102 (13-21)

This was a thriller.

Dennis Schroder, who has quietly become one of the best sixth men in the league, dropped 24 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 (and had a filthy euro-step), and the reliable Steven Adams had a 14-12 double-double to knock out the Hornets in overtime.

Despite the loss, Devonte’ Graham was excellent. He had a clutch full-court drive to the rack to force OT in the first place, and he stayed splashing tough shots down the stretch. He was one rebound off of a triple double with 15 points, 13 assists and 9 boards. Terry Rozier also had 26.

Heat 113 (23-8), Pacers 112 (21-11)

It all came down to a wild late possession, as Jimmy Butler passed to Duncan Robinson, who zipped the ball to Kendrick Nunn in the left corner. Nunn attacked the rack, and just missed a reverse layup, which was tipped into the air by Butler, and recovered by Bam Adebayo. Adebayo kicked it out to Goran Dragic on the perimeter, who swerved into the lane for a silky game-winning floater.

Follow that? In short, it was exhilirating.

Warriors 105 (9-24), Suns 96 (11-20)

After trailing for a majority of the game, the Dubs came roaring back down the stretch, and finally secured the lead with a thunderous Glenn Robinson III cutback dunk. An underrated aspect of the game that the Warriors crushed the Suns in was turnovers. While Phoenix coughed the ball up a stunning 26 times, Golden State limited themselves to 10 turnovers.

D’Angelo Russell led the way with 31 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists, while Devin Booker had his eighth game of the season with 30 points or more for the Suns.

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Paul says he especially enjoyed observing younger players’ reactions to receiving the duds.

Center Steven Adams, a staunch anti-fashion icon, stole the show with his getup.

Per The Oklahoman and ESPN:

“I remember as a young guy, you don’t necessarily have different things or whatnot,” Paul said. “And it was just a gift. A gift to guys. Baze (rookie Darius Bazley) said this is the first suit he ever had, so to see him, it’s cool. And the cool part about it is not even what it is. It’s that we did it together.”

The team group text began lightening up as the players confirmed that they had all received their suits. They set their game against the Grizzlies that evening for the big reveal.

“It kind of screwed me up, to be honest with you, when I came in,” Adams said. “Because I give a certain amount of time. I didn’t realize how much time it takes to put on one actually. It’s a lot longer than what I’m normally (wearing), so I didn’t account for it. Just like, ah yeah, five minutes, mate.”

Naturally, as the players gathered for a photo of everyone in their threads, the team was forced to wait on Adams, who was the last one to get ready. When is the next time Adams sees himself wearing a suit?

“Probably my funeral, mate.”

Related Chris Paul ‘Was Shocked’ by Trade to OKC

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We’ve always been skeptical of the idea but now ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that even those directly involved have their doubts. Neither OKC or Paul’s own camp believe a trade will come to fruition this season.

We wrote last month about how the early success of the teams that might plausibly interested in Paul lessens the chance that they’d actually be motivated to shake things up and pull the trigger on a trade for him.

An investment in Paul would cost teams north of $40 million annually through 2022. Given that the teams most interested in Paul’s services are contenders with sizable payrolls of their own, the options are limited.

Wojnarowski further noted in his report that while Paul is believed to stay put during this 2019-20 campaign, the circumstances change next summer when interested general managers only face two years of Paul’s contract, as opposed to three.

Paul has been a solid veteran presence on the young Thunder and, despite the uncertainty leading up to and into the season, has averaged 15.6 points and 6.3 assists per game.

The post Report: No Belief That Thunder Trade Chris Paul appeared first on SLAM.

Paul says Rockets general manager Daryl Morey had re-assured the future Hall of Fame point guard that no deal with OKC was in the works.

CP3 and former teammate James Harden‘s relationship remains icy, but he’s grateful to still be doing what he loves best: “It could be a lot worse.”

Per The Undefeated:

“My initial reaction?” Paul said with a laugh. “I was shocked. Truth be told, I just talked to Daryl a couple days before the trade and he said he wasn’t going to trade me [to Oklahoma City]. That’s funny because that is going to be the alert that pops up on everybody’s phone because nobody knows that. But what the hell, I just said it.”

Morey did tell The Undefeated that he appreciated Paul’s time in Houston. “Chris got us as close to winning a title as we’ve been since Hakeem Olajuwon,” he said. “He was a great Rocket. I wish him the best going forward. I am a big fan of Chris. I have nothing but love for him.”

It is no secret that Paul and Harden did not see eye to eye last season. Sources said the two feuded when the Rockets lost to the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2019 playoffs. Paul acknowledged that he and Harden “haven’t really talked” since he was traded.

“It’s life. It happens. It is what it is. But I wish him nothing but the best,” Paul said.

Related Chris Paul Feels ‘Stabbed in the Back’ by Houston

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I wrote last July about how speculation about a potential Heat-Thunder deal might have been premature. Despite the popular national narrative, there wasn’t a ton of incentive for the franchise to make such a bold transaction. Think about the money and personnel that would have to go the other way in any move to land Paul’s $38.5 million deal.

Fast forward one month into the 2019-20 NBA campaign and the market for Paul may be even smaller. Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman recently wrote that, due to the early season success of the few teams who could conceivably make moves for Paul, the CP3 market favors buyers.

It’s true. The 9-3 Heat have even less incentive to make a drastic move to bring aboard another veteran when Jimmy Butler and their core of solid young stars and pleasant surprises have put them in an admirable position both now and for the future.

The Lakers, who Tramel regards as the most likely to covet Paul, are in no rush to mess with the recipe that’s led to a 12-2 start so far this season. Other potential suitors like the Bucks and Timberwolves are doing just fine on their own without having to commit to the $120 million owed to Paul over the next three seasons.

Tramel insists – and it stands repeating – that the lack of trade possibilities isn’t due to any lack of production from Paul himself. In fact, the 34-year-old has looked solid averaging 15.8 points per game in the 14 that he’s suited up for this season.

Simply put, since the day Paul landed in Oklahoma City there has been this sense that he’d be packing his bags and relocating in no time. The fact of the matter is that his substantial contract renders any deal that would involve him an instant blockbuster and teams don’t often rush into blockbuster moves without a clear sense of urgency.

While the national media and Thunder front office may welcome the idea of a contender taking a flyer on the future Hall of Famer, finding a team with the expendable resources to match Paul’s contract and the motivation to do so is no small task.

For that reason, a Chris Paul trade one month into the regular season is as unlikely as it was back in July. That could change before the February trade deadline if desperation kicks in for a team with high expectations but there’s no guarantee.

The post Chris Paul Trade Market Favors Buyers appeared first on SLAM.

Paul says Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was less than forthcoming about his future with the franchise.

CP3 and Morey both publicly denied there were any trade rumblings in H-Town prior to the blockbuster swap.

Per NBC Sports (via LOL Network):

Paul: “Every situation is different. But the team is going to do whatever they want to do. They’ll tell you one thing and do a smooth nother thing.”

Do you feel like there’s been times where, “Damn, that’s a little eye-opening. I got stabbed in the back”?

Paul: “Absolutely. This last situation was one of them. The GM there in Houston, he don’t owe me nothing. You know what I mean? He may tell me one thing but do another thing. But you just understand that that’s what it is.”

Related Chris Paul ‘Excited About the Opportunity’ in OKC

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“On the court they know not to talk to me,” Westbrook told reporters after scoring 21 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and falling one assist shy of a triple-double in Houston’s 116-112 win.  

James Harden paced the Rockets with a game-high 40 points, and Chris Paul had 15 points, four assists and five rebounds in his return to H-Town following his trade to OKC this summer (he was honored with a video tribute in the first quarter.)
 

Per The AP:

“When I hoop I have no friends,” he said. “On the court they know not to talk to me.”
Some players seemed taken aback to see Westbrook in their locker room and a confused Dennis Schroder asked him what he was doing in there.

Westbrook smiled and said: “Same thing I’ve been doing, coming to check on my homies.”

Just before tipoff, Westbrook approached the Thunder bench and hugged coach Billy Donovan before slapping hands and greeting virtually every player on the bench.

Related Mike D’Antoni: Rockets to Play at a ‘Six Seconds or Less’ Pace

The post Russell Westbrook: ‘When I Hoop I Have No Friends’ appeared first on SLAM.

“I’m excited about the opportunity,” the 34-year-old future Hall of Famer said.

CP3 added that he wishes the Houston Rockets well after they traded him this past summer.

Per The Oklahoman and AP:

“It’s tough,” Paul said Monday at Thunder media day. “I enjoyed my two years [in Houston.] It was amazing. I had some unbelievable opportunities and made some great relationships.

“But things happen. I wish them nothing but the best, and like I said, people always try to tell your story and tell your truth. I have to be who I am and continue to do that and I think everything else will take care of itself.”

Paul, who averaged 15.6 points and 8.2 assists last season, said he holds no resentment toward the Rockets for trading him. He still feels he has plenty left to offer, and he looks forward to working with coach Billy Donovan and being a major piece of the rebuilt Thunder.

“I’m excited,” he said. “It’s funny because a lot of people try to tell your truth, try to tell your story, say what you want and a lot of different kind of stuff. I’m excited about the opportunity, excited about our team and excited about Billy.”

Related Chris Paul Exclusive Workout at CP3 Elite Camp in North Carolina!

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Morey says it was a smart gamble to swap Chris Paul for Westbrook.

Houston’s braintrust believes Russ will be “enhanced” in Texas.

Per The WSJ:

What’s the biggest strategic risk each of you has taken in Houston?

MOREY: “The one we just did.”

So why trade for Westbrook?

MOREY: “Because even if we were literally the same team, I would take the variance. I need the top end of the tail to win. The bigger the trade, the more risk. He’s got multiple years at a very high number. He’s got a long track record of being very good, so that mitigates it. But you never know how the aging curve is going to apply to different players. We feel good about all these risks. They’re all smart risks. But they’re for sure risks.”

You must’ve thought that there was something about the way that Westbrook plays that you can enhance here.

MOREY: “That’s been our big thing for awhile now. It’s similar to what has gotten a lot of attention with the pitching stuff the Astros have done recently. We don’t know exactly how it’s going to work, because you don’t until you really put it on the floor. But that’s definitely one of our hypotheses is that he’ll be enhanced here.”

Related Houston Rockets GM: ‘Yes. We’re Favorites’

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The 21-year-old deftly handled the inevitable questions about succeeding the Thunder legend following their respective blockbuster trades this summer, and said he is determined to build his own legacy.

Gilgeous-Alexander, along with new teammates Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder, will headline a backcourt that won’t feature Westbrook for the first time in 11 seasons.

Per The Oklahoman:

“He set the bar pretty high,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.

In his first meeting with the media Thursday, you wouldn’t have tabbed Gilgeous-Alexander as a player coming off a Second Team All-Rookie season as a 20-year-old starter for a 48-win playoff team.

“I am not Russell Westbrook,” Gilgeous-Alexander said with no malice. “I do not have the same name, same body type, stuff like that. So, I’m just going to try to be myself and be the best me and everything else will take care of itself.

“I’m just a basketball player. Regardless of the situation, I’m going to continue to work hard and play my game. I know that eventually it will come out. I don’t worry about starting. I’m not worried about accolades or things like that. I just work hard, keep my head down and (stay) true to who I am.”

Related Thunder GM: ‘Russell Westbrook is the Most Important Player’ in Franchise History

The post Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: ‘I Am Not Russell Westbrook’ appeared first on SLAM.

“It’s time for my extension right now,” says the 34-year-old veteran forward.

Tucker adds that he’s confident the Rockets will smoothly transition from Chris Paul to newcomer Russell Westbrook next season.

Per The Athletic:

“We lost a great player, we got a great player,” Tucker said. “We got a lot of guys back. We still got a core of our team. You know, it is what it is. It’s the NBA, changes are made. All you do is look at yourself and your teammates, keep your eyes on the next season and try to go after it, so now I plan to do that this year.”

“I’ma do what I do, man. I’ll help Russ in any way I can. I’m gonna be one of the leaders on the team, (especially) defensively. I’m just gonna do me, I’m gonna do what I do every single night to the best of my ability.”

As far as his long-term future with Houston, both Tucker and the team want him to stick around. This season is the last fully guaranteed year he has on the four-year, $32 million deal he signed in 2016. With 2020-21 only partially guaranteed, Tucker wants his future sorted out sooner, rather than later.

“It’s now,” he said of getting a new deal done. “It’s time for my extension right now, so we’ll see. We’ll see what happens. I’m optimistic, we’ll see.”

Related PJ Tucker: Rockets ‘Were a Hamstring Away from Having a Championship’

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The veteran forward believes the NBA title race is “wide open this year.”

Tucker, 34, adds that he vehemently disagrees with the widely-held assumption that James Harden and new superstar Rockets teammate Russell Westbrook “can’t work together.”

Per The WaPo:

“I hate when people talk about certain guys and say they can’t work together,” Tucker said. “It may not work with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard [on the Los Angeles Clippers]. It may not work with Anthony Davis and LeBron James [on the Los Angeles Lakers]. It may not work with anybody.

“[Westbrook] is another super aggressive guy who can attack the rim and score the ball. That opens everything up for everyone else. [Harden and Westbrook] know each other’s games. They’ve played together when they were young, and they’re excited to play together again. If they’re excited, I’m excited.”

That trek left him appreciating what Houston accomplished with Harden and Paul rather than dwelling on the partnership’s abrupt ending.

“We were a hamstring away from having a championship,” Tucker said, referring to Paul’s ill-timed injury in the 2018 Western Conference finals against Golden State. “You can rate it how you want and say what you want, but it was a great run. We won a franchise-record [65 games in 2017-18]. The [decision to trade Paul] is something that’s over my pay grade. I just play.”

Related PJ Tucker: Houston Rockets Drama ‘Fake News’

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Harden, when asked by one kid how he’s able to get away with “that traveling step-back,” responded that he will “come up with something more creative.”

“In the NBA, especially at the highest level of basketball, you got to find ways to get better every single year,” Harden said. “You got to find ways to create an advantage every single year. And that’s what I’m doing. It’s not a travel.

“This year, I’m going to come up with something more creative, and it’s gonna look like a travel but it’s not. Honestly! Even when I was on a tour, in Europe or China, or even when I’m here in the U.S., I see kids your guys’ age that are working on step-backs, working on moves, because it’s going to gain you an opportunity to be better than the rest of your peers. And that’s what I’m going for.

“So until they call it a travel, if they start calling it, I’ll continue to find ways and find ways to get creative and make my impact on the game.”

The 2018 MVP says he expects new All-Star teammate Russell Westbrook to have an “easy transition” with the Houston Rockets.

Per The Houston Chronicle:

“I’m excited,” Harden said. “It’s a new chapter, but I know he’s excited. He’s been in Oklahoma City for 11 years so it’s a new chapter for him. We welcome him with open arms. It’s going to work.”

Harden was so confident about how Westbrook would fit, when asked about adjustments he or Westbrook would need to make he said: “None. None. None. We played with each other in the NBA and the (2012) Olympics and all that.

“When you have talent like that, it works itself out. You communicate. You go out there and compete possession by possession. You figure things out. Throughout the course of the season, you figure things out. That’s just what it is. When you have talent, you have guys with IQ, you have guys willing to sacrifice, it always works itself out.”

Harden showed he was aware of the questions about meshing his style with Westbrook’s when asked about the pairing by one of the campers to participate in Harden’s camp over the weekend. But he was also unconcerned.

“That’s my boy right there, since I was like 10 or 11 years old,” Harden said. “Obviously, we were teammates for (three) years. Now, we’re at different stages of our careers. I’m excited for the opportunity. I hear a lot of negative things: you can’t, he can’t, they can’t. But we’ll figure it out. I’m excited for the opportunity. I know the rest of the organization is. It’s time.”

Related James Harden Will Not ‘Tell’ on Himself Getting Away With Travel vs Jazz

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D’Antoni says James Harden and new superstar teammate Russell Westbrook will “make it work” in H-Town.

Chris Paul is “going to be sorely missed,” according to D’Antoni, who adds that he can’t wait to work alongside the force of nature that is Westbrook.

Per The Houston Chronicle:

“That’s what great players do,” D’Antoni said. “Great players figure it out. They make it work.

“I go back to USA Basketball,” said D’Antoni, an assistant on the 2012 Olympic team that included Westbrook and Harden. “You have all those guys, and all of them have the ball in their hands. When you want to make it work, they all did. You’ve got the best team in the world with all that talent — nobody stepped on anybody’s toes. It was great. It’ll be the same thing.

“You only get problems when the chemistry is not right or they don’t want to be there. I’m excited about it, and I think the pairing will work.”

D’Antoni also cited Westbrook’s strength as an explosive ballhandler. Harden led the NBA and Westbrook was third in drives per game, but Westbrook led the league by far in assists off drives.

“I think he’ll have a lot more room to get to the rim,” D’Antoni said of Westbrook. “He’s going to find a way to be devastating. He always has. That’s the way great players are. It makes my job a lot easier. We’ll try to maximize their potential and get the most out of everybody on the floor. He’s going to help with the rebounding and playing with such athleticism. That’s probably something we missed: the athleticism. He’ll bring that dynamic. He’ll bring a force to the table.”

Related Rockets Owner: Russell Westbrook and James Harden ‘Wanted to Play Together’

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Paul and his representatives have worked with the team to find a trade destination but for a bevy of reasons, no deal has surfaced. Paul’s salary, which comes in at $38.5 million this upcoming season, makes trading the point guard difficult. Nearly every team has exhausted their cap room with Atlanta leading the league with approximately $7 million in available space and according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, 40% of players are currently ineligible to be traded. Matching Paul’s salary in a deal is problematic for the Thunder at the moment.

There’s a belief that the Thunder will have more success in their attempts to trade Paul after December 15, Woj writes. That’s the date many offseason signings become eligible to be traded.

OKC is open to having Paul play out the season for the franchise and the point guard isn’t totally against the idea. Paul played in Oklahoma City during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons while the at-the-time Hornets were dislodged from New Orleans because of Hurricane Katrina.

The Thunder want to remain competitive as they transition from the Westbrook era and the front office believes Paul can be a mentor to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is the team’s point guard of the future.

The post Thunder Could Keep Chris Paul For The 2019-20 Season. appeared first on SLAM.

Westbrook, 30, was dealt to the Houston Rockets after 11 memorable seasons in exchange for Chris Paul, two first-round draft picks (2024 and 2026) and two pick swaps (2021 and 2025.)

Presti says the team worked with the Westbrook camp to ensure he landed on an NBA title contender.

Per The Oklahoman:

“None of us could have anticipated the player he has become, and we are all deeply proud of what he has contributed to the success of the franchise and to our community,” Thunder general manager Sam Presti said in a team release. “Russell and his wife Nina, their three children, his brother and his parents will always remain part of the Thunder family. We wish them nothing but happiness and success in the future.”

In his statement, Presti confirmed that before trading Westbrook, he spoke with the franchise star and his agent about his and the team’s futures.

“Through those conversations we came to the understanding that looking at some alternative situations would be something that made sense for him,” Presti said. “As a result, and due to his history with the Thunder, we worked together to accommodate this. Our ability to have these types of conversations and work so closely with Russell and his agent Thad Foucher is only possible because of the depth of the relationship that has been built over the last 11 years.”

Westbrook leaves OKC as the all-time Thunder leader in scoring (18,859), assists (6,897), rebounds (5,760) and steals (1,442). The eight-time All-Star and 2017 NBA MVP led his team to nine playoff appearances.

“I have a great deal of respect for Russell and there is no way to adequately describe our appreciation for what he has meant to Oklahomans,” Thunder Chairman Clay Bennett said in a team release. “His legacy here is immense, and he will be honored by the team for all he has done. We wish he and Nina and their family all the best. While this era of Thunder basketball now comes to an end, I’m confident our talented team of people will once again position the Thunder for success in the future.”

Related Report: Russell Westbrook Began ‘Quietly Grumbling’ After First Round Exit

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Fertitta said Houston was thrilled to acquire Westbrook.

Russ and superstar teammate James Harden “wanted to play together,” according to Fertitta.

Per ESPN:

The league office has not announced the fine, which is for comments Fertitta made to Houston’s Fox 26 after the Rockets agreed to send Chris Paul and two future first-round picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the perennial All-Star point guard.

Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta was fined $25,000 by the NBA for commenting on the Russell Westbrook trade before the deal was official, sources confirmed.

“We’re excited to have Russell Westbrook,” Fertitta told the TV station. “I would watch him play for Oklahoma City, and he’s so athletic. At the same time, this franchise just had the two years with the most wins it’s ever had in consecutive years, and we wouldn’t have accomplished that without Chris Paul. Chris Paul is unbelievable, and he’s gonna be sadly missed.”

Related James Harden: ‘I Know How to Play With Russ and He Knows How to Play With Me’

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According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Heat intend to listen to offers that Thunder general manager Sam Presti presents them. Miami, after all, is apparently Oklahoma City’s focus, which Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported earlier this morning.

Just because the Thunder would like to flip Paul over to the Heat, however, doesn’t necessarily mean that they will. The Heat have to be willing partners and there’s been no confirmation that they’re eager to do any more than their due diligence.

While the combination of Paul and Jimmy Butler is an intriguing one – and the Heat are one of the few teams that could possibly onboard Paul in a moderately rational way – Miami would be hamstringing itself in offseasons to come thanks to the $120-plus million Paul will earn through 2021-22.

Many NBA teams need to build through trades or the draft because they’re not a popular landing spot for free agents. The Heat don’t have that problem. Investing in Paul would limit their ability to land a max free agent in 2020 and even in 2021.

Put simply, Jackson writes that the Heat just don’t have a strong interest in Paul. That supposed reluctance could be little more than convenient posturing as they try to eke more out of a possible trade but it’s not hard to imagine why Miami may actually be content heading forward as they are.

Sam Amick of The Athletic expressed his uncertainty about Oklahoma City’s chances of convincing Miami to commit to Paul’s contract in a radio appearance earlier today.

The Heat were heavily involved in trade talks for Russell Westbrook, Jackson writes, but ultimately refused to include combinations of Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo or Justise Winslow.

While they wouldn’t likely need to dangle those young assets in order to acquire Paul, they would need to be cautious that they aren’t jeopardizing the long-term health of the franchise for the short-term satisfaction of netting Paul. This is a franchise that’s actually in a decent spot because of the organization’s ability to optimize its assets.

A more likely trade haul in a hypothetical Paul-to-Miami deal would involve draft picks. The Thunder recently acquired two Heat picks from the Los Angeles Clippers in the Paul George trade. Those picks initially landed in Miami in separate deals four years apart.

Miami’s 2023 first was sent to the Clippers in exchange for the role they played in the four-team deal that yielded Jimmy Butler last week. Their 2021 pick was initially sent to Phoenix back in 2015 as part of the deadline deal for Goran Dragic and has changed hands several times since.

If Miami were to get involved in a Paul deal, it’s likely that the reunion with those draft assets and the potential for salary cap relief would play a significant role. The Heat are hard-capped as a result of the Butler sign-and-trade. If Oklahoma City is eager enough to get out from Paul’s deal, they could offer those picks as well as the obligatory myriad of substantial but still more palatable contracts.

SLAM’s Chris Crouse wrestled with possible trade scenarios for Russell Westbrook prior to the blockbuster yesterday and landed on a three-way scenario between the Thunder, Heat and Rockets in which Miami would take back the $45-plus million owed to Dragic, James Johnson and Dion Waiters. Westbrook is obviously already Houston-bound but the major pieces of that hypothetical swap could still play out in two separate moves.

In that scenario or several similar variations of it, the Thunder would break Paul’s deal into smaller, more easily moved pieces, all of which expire at least one season earlier than Paul’s. That would position Presti to wheel and deal his way to cleaner books, faster while also granting Miami relief from the hard cap they face, alleviating log jams on their depth chart and giving them access to a Hall of Fame point guard in the twilight of his career.

Is that enough for the Thunder to fork over two of the 15 draft picks they’ve amassed between 2020 and 2026? Would Miami handcuff themselves to an unknown and potentially volatile pairing of polarizing stars for any less?

At this stage in the process there’s little to base speculation on other than the fact that the Thunder would like to get out from Paul’s albatross contract. Of course they would, why wouldn’t they? There’s no doubt that the veteran is a plus-player on any team’s depth chart but that’s little consolation for a team in Oklahoma City’s position with their sights fully set on a long-term rebuild.

If we’re going to see Paul land in Miami, something the Thunder are reportedly so committed to, they’ve got their work cut out for them. Perhaps it will involve a third team, as Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel suggested in his own account of the Paul discussion, perhaps it drags on into the season and Pat Riley pulls the trigger if it looks a top-four seed in the East is within reach.

At the end of the day, as the dust settles on a wild first two weeks of free agency, the thought of Paul alongside Butler on an Erik Spoelstra-led squad is intriguing for basketball reasons but the Heat aren’t obligated to bite just because the idea fits into the zeitgeist of NBA Twitter.

The post Heat Lukewarm On Potential Chris Paul Trade appeared first on SLAM.

The Miami Heat are said to be at top of the list of potential CP3 suitors.

Paul has three years and $124 million remaining on his current deal—he averaged career lows in points (15.6) and field-goal shooting (41.9 percent), while leading the Rockets with 8.2 assists per game.

Per ESPN and The Houston Chronicle:

[Sam] Presti already is working with Paul’s agents at CAA Sports — Leon Rose and Steven Heumann — to redirect the nine-time All-Star to a new team, league sources tell ESPN. The Heat are prominent in the conversations, but there are other possibilities also being explored, sources said. Presti and Rose worked together last year on a similar situation with Carmelo Anthony.

The picks going to the Thunder in 2024 and 2026 are protected only if they fall among the top four. In 2021, the Thunder may swap their pick, the Heat’s pick or the Clippers’ pick for the Rockets’ pick.

As recently as Tuesday, the Rockets believed a deal for Westbrook, an eight-time All-Star, was almost impossible, a person with knowledge of talks said. But Westbrook and [James] Harden strongly favored the move and a chance to play in a backcourt together, as they did for Harden’s first three NBA seasons in Oklahoma City, a person with knowledge of their thinking said.

Though the contracts of Westbrook and Paul matched, there had been an expectation that the Thunder would need a third team to take the 34-year-old Paul, rather than have him as a part of their rebuilding. When the deal could be made with just the Rockets and Thunder, it came together rapidly Thursday afternoon.

Related Chris Paul: ‘I Never Demanded a Trade’

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“I know how to play with Russ and he knows how to play with me,” Harden told Morey prior to the blockbuster trade that landed Westbrook, and sent Chris Paul to the OKC Thunder.

The two former MVPs are each chasing their first NBA title, and will re-join forces after spending three years together as young pups in OKC.

Per ESPN:

As discussions between the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder on a blockbuster deal for Russell Westbrook grew serious Thursday, Daryl Morey, Houston’s general manager, called James Harden to discuss how both stars might work together. Harden gently cut Morey off and reminded him: “I know how to play with Russ and he knows how to play with me,” Morey recounted to ESPN.com late Thursday in Las Vegas.

That was Harden’s message to Morey over the phone on Thursday. That was Westbrook’s message in choosing the Rockets as one of his destinations — along with the Miami Heat, who may now pursue Paul as something of a consolation prize. (The Rockets hoped to turn the deal into a three-team trade, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.)

Westbrook was enthusiastic about playing with Harden again, per sources familiar with the talks. That kind of buy-in matters. Both superstars will have to change for this to work, even though Mike D’Antoni will probably stagger minutes as rigidly as he did with Harden and Paul. D’Antoni’s experience coaching Westbrook on Team USA boosted Houston’s comfort level making this deal, sources say. The Thunder belonged to Westbrook in almost every way. The Rockets do not. Maybe that alone will spur some change in him.

Related Rockets Owner: Russell Westbrook and James Harden ‘Wanted to Play Together’

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Houston’s braintrust is looking forward to a “very interesting and fun” season.

The Thunder reportedly also received a pair of protected first-round draft picks (2024 and 2026) and pick swaps (2021 and 2025) for the former MVP.

Westbrook, 30, was drafted fourth overall by the then Seattle SuperSonics in 2008, and departs as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer (18,859), second in assists (6,897), third in rebounds (5,760) and steals (1,442), and fourth in games played (821).

Per ESPN:

Thunder general manager Sam Presti worked with Westbrook and his agent, Thad Foucher, to help honor the star guard’s hopes of playing with the Rockets, league sources said. The Thunder also discussed a possible deal with the Miami Heat, sources said.

Presti already is working with Paul’s agents at CAA Sports — Leon Rose and Steven Heumann — to redirect the nine-time All-Star to a new team, league sources tell ESPN. The Heat are prominent in the conversations, but there are other possibilities also being explored, sources said. Presti and Rose worked together last year on a similar situation with Carmelo Anthony.

In making the trade, the Rockets believe that the age difference between Paul (34) and Westbrook (30) gives them a better chance to extend the championship window of Harden, who will turn 30 next month.

Westbrook will be forever connected to the Thunder as the face of the franchise, pledging his loyalty to the organization in the wake of Durant’s departure to the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Westbrook re-upped with OKC, stabilizing the roster and providing a path forward, and then signed a five-year extension in 2017, at the time the largest contract in NBA history.

Related Report: Russell Westbrook Began ‘Quietly Grumbling’ After First Round Exit

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Less than a week after netting an historic haul of draft assets in their Paul George trade, the Thunder will add a pile more for absorbing the remainder of Paul’s substantial contract.

Formally, the Thunder will acquire Houston’s 2024 and 2026 first-round picks (both 1-4 protected). They’ll also gain the privilege to swap choices in 2021 (1-4 protected) and 2024 (1-20 protected). Credit Shams Charania of The Athletic for the details there.

Related: OKC’s treasure trove of draft picks is so absurd, we presented all of them in a handy table.

The move will put Westbrook in a Rockets lineup alongside James Harden. Those two, of course, began their careers together and even made a run to the NBA Finals with the Thunder in 2012.

The deal also serendipitously puts Paul back in Oklahoma City, a destination he never technically played for but spent significant time in when the then-New Orleans Pelicans temporarily relocated to Oklahoma while the city recovered from Hurricane Katrina.

While Paul is a certifiable star in this league, even at age of 34, the $124 million he’ll earn over the course of the next three seasons is prohibitive, especially to a team such as the Thunder, who are clearly embracing a rebuild.

Early feedback from Oklahoma City media, such as Brett Dawson of The Athletic, suggest the Thunder do plan on retaining and playing Paul this season. Regardless of whether that holds up as the season approaches, the draft assets are the sweetener that justify the financial commitment. Another benefit is that Paul’s deal, identical to Westbrook’s through 2021-22, ends one year earlier than Westbrook’s.

Westbrook, ESPN’s Bobby Marks reports, will waive his 15% trade bonus, a fitting gesture given that his exodus from Oklahoma City seems to be as amicable and cooperative as one could hope.

In 58 games for the Rockets last season, Paul averaged 15.6 points and 8.2 assists per game. Could a year left to his own devices in OKC – or virtually any other franchise that doesn’t run their offense extensively through one single individual – lead to a rejuvenated campaign?

Houston, no doubt the buyer in this scenario, will add one of the league’s most dominant forces to a lineup that already includes the MVP runner-up. Just how ball-dominant guards Westbrook and Harden fare together, however , remains to be seen.

Westbrook averaged a triple-double for a third consecutive season in 2018-19 but the Thunder flamed out against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first-round of the 2019 postseason.

The post Thunder, Rockets Agree To Russell Westbrook Trade appeared first on SLAM.

Tucker insists that co-stars James Harden and Chris Paul remain on the same page, and that everyone is focused on winning an elusive NBA championship.

The Rockets’ front-office, meanwhile, is reportedly shopping what seems like everyone on the roster but Harden with free agency looming.

Per The Athletic:

As a leader in the locker room, tell me about James and Chris. You can’t speak for them, but…

Tucker: “No, but I’m sick of the fake news man. It’s fake. Everybody – I argue with Chris and James more than Chris and James argue.”

Fine, but Game 6 (against the Warriors): How hot was it (afterward)?

Tucker: “It was what it was. Everybody’s mad. Everybody’s pissed. You can’t – I’m sick of all the highlight of whoever this person is trying to come up with all this crap, like I argue with Chris and James more than Chris and James argue with each other. Like, I’m the center, focal (point) of the argument because I’m always yelling at somebody and they’re yelling at me. So for me, it’s like ‘If you’re not arguing…’ You don’t think Kobe (Bryant) and Shaq (O’Neal) argued? Hakeem (Olajuwon) and…”

But that’s a tough comparison though, right? There’s a threshold there. Kobe and Shaq reached a point where it wouldn’t work anymore.

Tucker: “Nah, but guess what? They won championships together. Right? And that’s what people care about, right? That’s what we talking about, right? Nah, but we’re talking about winning championships, right? So that’s all that matters. To win a championship. That’s it. Nothing else matters. If we win a championship together and we fucking hate each other, then guess what? Who cares? (Laughs) Nobody. Right, so that’s all that matters. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters. Winning a championship. Everything else is failure.“

Related Chris Paul: ‘I Never Demanded a Trade’

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It’s a proverb that rings its truth every day in the NBA.

Players around the League stepped up their game in the tunnel this season, so we added on a third team. It’s important to recognize progress, too, so we also mixed in a most-improved award to show love to the hooper who stepped up his tunnel walk the most in 2018-2019.

Anyways, we can skip to what you’re here for: This year’s LeagueFits All-Drip Teams and Awards.

THIRD TEAM: Dwayne Bacon, Ben Simmons, Dennis Schroder, Jordan Clarkson, Serge Ibaka

Three players made their All-Drip debuts in Dwayne Bacon, Ben Simmons and Dennis Schroder.

SECOND TEAM: Terry Rozier, Tobias Harris, Kevin Love, Kyle Kuzma, Mike Scott

Kyle Kuzma built upon his Rookie of the Year award from a year ago by making the jump to the Second Team. Tobias Harris and Mike Scott also made their All-Drip debuts.

FIRST TEAM: Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Kelly Oubre, PJ Tucker, Shai GIlgeous-Alexander

No surprises here. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the first rookie in LeaugeFits history to make an All-Drip Team.

MOST-IMPROVED: Dennis Schroder

One time for the #EuroDrip icon.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

No one rook should have all this power.

MVP: Kelly Oubre

Waves never die.

—

Ian Pierno is an Associate Social Media Editor and Drip Director at SLAM. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter.

Pat Bonoan is a Graphic Designer at SLAM. Follow him on Instagram.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post The 2019 LeagueFits All-Drip Teams are STACKED appeared first on SLAM.

Paul, 34, continues to insist that’s perfectly content as a member of the Rockets, this despite multiple published reports alleging otherwise.

CP3 and All-Star teammate James Harden are said to be at odds, but the front-office has also loudly pushed back against those rumors.

Per The Houston Chronicle:

“I never asked for a trade,” Paul said. “I never demanded a trade.”

By then, the day’s celebration of basketball might have made it difficult to get too worked up over the offseason rumor mill. Paul was much more effusive about that [Go Hoop Day] cause, but he briefly addressed speculation that he wants to leave the Rockets and that there is a rift with star backcourt mate James Harden.

“I’ll be in Houston,” Paul said. “I’m happy about that. I’m very happy about that. I’m good.”

With that in mind, it was easy to dismiss rumors as unable to distress him.

“It’s cool,” Paul said. “I’m good.”

Related ‘That’s News to Me’: Chris Paul Denies Report of Trade Request

The post Chris Paul: ‘I Never Demanded a Trade’ appeared first on SLAM.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey also issued forceful denials that CP3’s camp wants out.

Team owner Tilman Fertitta added that he’s excited to have both Paul and teammate James Harden—”two very competitive athletes”—back next season.

Per The Houston Chronicle:

Paul even responded to a Yahoo! report on Tuesday that the relationship between he and Harden is “unsalvageable” and that he wants to leave the Rockets by posting on Instagram, “Damn! That’s news to me…”

“It’s definitely not true,” Morey said. “It’s ridiculous.”

Asked if Paul or his representatives had asked that he be traded, Morey said, “No. Can you convey my disdain in my ‘no.’ It’s so annoying at this point. I’ve talked to Chris since (Game 6), for sure. Myself, Mike D’Antoni, James Harden are all super competitive, all frustrated we were eliminated from the playoffs, all want to get over the hump. That leads to a lot of competitive fire. All of it is normal. We’re all in the same boat, pursuing the championship. We’re all frustrated we’re not there. But there is nothing past that.”

The Rockets will have only a $5.7 million mid-level exception to spend in free agency but could seek a larger deal with a free agent in a sign-and-trade arrangement or in a trade for a potential free agent that chose to opt in as Paul did when he was dealt to the Rockets in 2017.

“With both Chris and James, we’re talking about potential mid-level guys, potential top guys we might be able to trade for,” Morey said. “I distinctly remember one time they both face-timed me and I walked through 50 free agents and got their opinion on them together, if that gives you a sense of how tightly they are tied together.”

Related Rockets GM: Chris Paul Has Not Asked for Trade

The post ‘That’s News to Me’: Chris Paul Denies Report of Trade Request appeared first on SLAM.

Update #1, 6:04 pm: For the second time in two days, Morey has refuted any notion that Paul has requested a trade. Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes that Morey says Paul will be on the team next season and that Paul and Harden do not have any issues with one another.

Veteran point guard Chris Paul has requested a trade from the Houston Rockets, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports reports, adding that the relationship between Paul and franchise star James Harden has been deemed ‘unsalvageable’.

The report comes in the midst of a confusing offseason for the Rockets and it’s worth noting that team general manager Daryl Morey denied that Paul had sought a trade as recently as yesterday.

According to Goodwill, Harden and Paul went nearly two months without speaking to each other during the season and the pair consistently got under each other’s skin over the course of the 2018-19 campaign.

The Goodwill report isn’t the first damning report to come out of Houston this week. In fact, Morey’s denial of Paul’s trade request came shortly after ESPN’s Tim MacMahon detailed the confusion surrounding the franchise and between the two stars.

Paul has played two seasons with the Rockets and in both cases the team has looked like a formidable Western Conference threat but not been able to surpass the Golden State Warriors.

MacMahon, in his feature, writes that Paul and Harden had a dispute after their Game 6 loss in the Western Conference Semifinals largely tied to playing style. The Rockets have been employing Harden as a famously ball-dominant offensive catalyst but Paul wanted to run more set plays.

This isn’t the first time that Paul has clashed with teammates, Goodwill adds, citing his struggles with teammates previously during his stint with the Clippers.

“There’s no respect at all, on either side,” a source told Yahoo Sports. “They need to get away from one another. Chris doesn’t respect James’ standing in the league, and James doesn’t respect the work Chris has put in to this point.”

If the Rockets are to acknowledge and honor Paul’s request for a trade, they’ll need to find a taker with plenty of room for Paul contract. The 34-year-old will earn $38.5 million in 2019-20 with raise in each of the following two seasons.

The post Chris Paul Reportedly Requests Trade From Houston appeared first on SLAM.

Houston’s front-office, however, acknowledges the reported tension between CP3 and co-star James Harden, “two high-level competitors.”

H-Town’s tumultuous offseason has also exposed additional “messiness” regarding head coach Mike D’Antoni‘s contract negotiation, but team owner Tilman Fertitta says he simply wants to win.

Per ESPN:

“We have two high-level competitors, Chris and James, who their only goal in life at this point is to win the title. They’ve accomplished everything else, they are both going to be first-ballot Hall of Famers. Two competitive superstars at that level, there’s going to be times when they are extremely competitive, extremely focused on how do we get to that next level, and when we don’t there’s going to be frustration,” Morey said. “I’m frustrated, our top players are frustrated, Mike D’Antoni is frustrated. We want to take the last step and be the champion and I think it’s good that there is tension in the sense that we all want to win.”

Morey said the Rockets will be aggressive this offseason to solidify their status as favorites, in his opinion, to win the Western Conference. He acknowledged, however, that making moves will likely bring more tension.

“We feel like we should be the favorite in the West, and we’re going to do moves to show people that we should be the favorite in the West, and that’s going to create a little tension when we do that. But at the end of the day, we’re going to have at least our starting five back, which again most teams are scrambling to keep it together and we’re going to spend midlevel, we’re going to spend into the tax. We’re going to be one of the most expensive rosters like we were last year and this year and we’re going to be right there,” he said.

The tepid commitment to D’Antoni, the gutting of his coaching staff and the shopping of the starting five, among other factors, have created what could at best be described as an unsettling vibe for a franchise that has won more games over the past few years than any team other than the Warriors.

“There’s been some messiness to our current offseason, but we’re always going to be in a state of somewhat tension because until we achieve our goals and get where we need to be, we’re going to continue to challenge ourselves to get better,” [CEO Tad] Brown says. “That sometimes creates tension. This is just a way for us to continue to get better.”

Related Report: Houston Making Chris Paul and Others Available in Trade Talks

The post Rockets GM: Chris Paul Has Not Asked for Trade appeared first on SLAM.

D’Antoni, 68, had hoped for a three-year extension, and balked at Houston’s one-year, incentive-laden $5 million offer.

Team owner Tim Fertitta and general manager Daryl Morey are also cutting ties with three assistant coaches.

Per The Houston Chronicle:

“We didn’t end extension talks,” Fertitta said in a hastily arranged media availability after talks with D’Antoni broke off. “Agents’ jobs are to play hardball. I made Mike a great extension offer. It was one of the better base salaries in basketball but also had the highest incentives in basketball. Mike could make 4 million in incentives. Business is business.

“I’m a very incentive-based guy. If you perform, I want you to do unbelievable.”

D’Antoni would not discuss the details of the Rockets’ offer other than that an offer was made that he did not accept.

“We could not come to terms on an extension,” D’Antoni said. “I have my contract still. I’m looking forward to the year and having a great season.”

“We and Mike are all on the same page,” Fertitta said. “I’m thrilled Mike is going to be back this year. I’m sure after the season this year, because I think we’re going to do well, we’ll sit down and ink out another contract for Mike. Mike doesn’t have any reason to want to go coach anywhere else. At this point, we’re very happy with Mike. We’ve had three great years with Mike. We look forward to Mike being here for many years to come.”

Related Report: Houston Making Chris Paul and Others Available in Trade Talks

The post Mike D’Antoni: ‘We Could Not Come to Terms on an Extension’ appeared first on SLAM.