Chris Paul on Future with Thunder Amid Trade Buzz: 'I Just Love to Hoop'

The Oklahoma City Thunder appear to be bracing for a rebuild, but that may not necessarily be a problem for star guard Chris Paul.

Paul was among the virtual fans watching Sunday's NBA Finals game between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. He addressed the obvious speculation about his future and remained diplomatic.

"I just love to hoop," he said on the ABC broadcast (via ESPN's Tim Bontemps). "[Former Thunder coach] Billy Donovan was amazing. My teammates have been amazing. So, for me, you call it twilight years, I call it a blessing. Just being able to compete at a high level at 35 years old, [I'm going to] just keep rolling."

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported in September that Donovan's contract with the Thunder expired upon the conclusion of their season and that "the reality of Oklahoma City's transition toward a rebuild made it a challenge for the two sides to find a way to continue together."

General manager Sam Presti alluded to the issue in the team's official announcement.

"After those discussions, it became apparent that we couldn't provide him the information on the future direction of the team over the next several seasons to give him the level of clarity that he understandably desires at this stage of his career," Presti said.

A period of transition felt inevitable from the moment Oklahoma City traded Russell Westbrook, having already sent Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers. The franchise now has a slew of draft picks to form the foundation of its roster.

Whether Paul, who turned 35 in May, fits into those long-term plans remains unclear.

The 10-time All-Star was excellent in his first year with the team, averaging 17.6 points, 6.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds as OKC finished fifth in the Western Conference. As a result, he has become a nice trade asset for the Thunder.

Maybe the front office and ownership are content to pay Paul $41.4 million in 2020-21 and potentially absorb his $44.2 million player option for 2021-22.

But a trade would be beneficial to both parties. The Thunder could potentially land another draft pick or young player who fits with what's likely their new trajectory, while Paul could finish out his career on a team with firmer playoff ambitions.