Chris Paul Reportedly Being Waived by Suns Shocks NBA Twitter

Chris Paul's career in the desert has come to an end.

The Phoenix Suns are reportedly waiving the veteran point guard, making him one of the top players to hit the free-agent market this summer, per Bleacher Report and TNT's Chris Haynes.

Paul initially joined the Suns ahead of the 2020-21 season, and he went on to average 16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 8.9 assists and 1.4 steals in 70 games while shooting 49.9 percent from the floor and 39.5 percent from deep.

However, his scoring has declined each season since. During the 2022-23 campaign, the 12-time All-Star averaged 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists and 1.5 steals in 59 games while shooting 44.0 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Paul was particularly disappointing in the postseason this year, averaging 12.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.7 steals in seven games while shooting 41.8 percent from the floor and 32.1 percent from three-point range.

The 38-year-old missed Phoenix's final four postseason games while nursing a groin strain. The Suns were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals.

The Suns were expected to move on from Paul this summer, as ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported May 12 on The Hoop Collective podcast (31:30 mark) that Phoenix intended to shop him.

However, Paul's release was unexpected, especially considering the Suns will take on the $15.8 million in guaranteed salary he's owed for 2023-24. Paul's original base salary was $30.8 million.

NBA Twitter was understandably flabbergasted by the move:

Paul intends to continue playing for several more years and is "eager" to help a team contend for a title, according to Haynes.