Chris Paul Rumors: Frank Vogel Expressed Desire to Keep PG Before Bradley Beal Trade

Frank Vogel reportedly wanted the opportunity to coach Chris Paul with the Phoenix Suns before the future Hall of Famer was included in the pending trade to acquire Bradley Beal.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Vogel "expressed a desire to keep" Paul during a recent breakfast with the point guard. Scotto also noted Paul talked to Suns president of basketball operations and general manager James Jones and did not want to be traded far away from his family in Los Angeles.

Yet ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Phoenix is finalizing a deal that will send Paul, Landry Shamet, multiple second-round picks and first-round pick swaps to the Washington Wizards for Beal, Jordan Goodwin and Isaiah Todd.

Paul told Sopan Deb of the New York Times he found out about the deal on a plane via a text message from his 14-year-old son and was "surprised" because he had recently spoken to Jones.

Yet the veteran said multiple times Suns governor Mat Ishbia and his close friend, Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, "wanted to go in a different direction."

Those comments were notable considering Ishbia told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic in February that Thomas was not involved in Phoenix's front office.

Fortunately for Paul, he may get his wish to be near his family in Los Angeles.

Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported the Wizards are "likely to reroute" him and may trade him to the Los Angeles Clippers. That would be a familiar landing spot considering he suited up for the Clippers for six seasons, and it would also give him an opportunity to battle the Suns in the Western Conference race while facilitating for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

That would surely be less than ideal for Vogel given his reported desire to keep Paul in the fold, although it is hard to argue with a process that led to a Big Three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Beal.

As for Paul, he is 38 years old and coming off a season where he was limited to 59 games and sidelined for part of the Suns' playoff run.

He is likely on the back end of his career and can't realistically be expected to perform at the same level he typically does, although he could have provided veteran leadership for a Phoenix team that will be in championship-or-bust mode in Vogel's first season as the head coach.

Instead, he may suit up for a different Western Conference contender if the Wizards move him.