Chris Paul Rumors: Execs Have Star In '3-Year, $60M-ish' Contract Range If PG Hits FA

Were he to hit the open market this offseason, Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul might command $60 million over three years, according to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix.

Paul has a $44.2 million player option for the 2021-22 season, so he could choose to remain with the Suns with an eye toward a bigger payday in 2022.

While a max deal is almost certainly out of the question for a player who turned 36 in May, Mannix's report indicates Paul may not necessarily be in a great bargaining position despite the success the Suns have enjoyed.

Phoenix finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference (51-21) and has a 2-0 lead on the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals. That's not solely down to the 11-time All-Star, but it's not a coincidence the franchise's turnaround happened after he arrived.

Paul averaged 16.4 points and 8.9 assists while shooting 49.9 percent from the floor and 39.5 percent from beyond the arc. His high level of play is continuing in the postseason as he's fresh off a 17-point, 15-assist night in the Suns' 123-98 Game 2 victory.

But Paul's age makes it tough to justify committing a lot of money to a contract that extends beyond a year or two.

As much value as he's providing in the moment, that may not remain the case down the line. His injury history—particularly in the playoffs—raise one obvious concern regarding his future performance as he gets deeper into his 30s.

Unless the Suns suffer a spectacular postseason flameout, triggering his player option might be Paul's best move because that represents a sure thing. If he's giving that up in order to earn $20 million annually, then it's not all that great of a tradeoff.