Chris Paul Rumors: Thunder Will Let Star Have Input Before Deciding on Trade

If the Oklahoma City Thunder trade veteran point guard Chris Paul this offseason, CP3 will reportedly have some say in where he goes.

Appearing on Tuesday's Bill Simmons Podcast (beginning at the 1:04 remaining mark), Ryen Russillo of The Ringer said he has heard that Paul will have "some sort of say" if he gets dealt.

Russillo added that the Thunder won't send Paul "somewhere that sucks," and will take his wishes under consideration before executing a trade.

Simmons and Russillo agreed that when the Thunder received Paul last offseason in the trade that sent Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets, CP3 was essentially a salary dump.

Not only did the Thunder receive Paul, but they also got multiple first-round picks in the deal.

Although Paul was far from the centerpiece of the trade, the 35-year-old ended up enjoying a great season. He averaged 17.6 points, 6.7 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game en route to being named an All-Star for the 10th time in his career.

He was also an ideal mentor for young guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder, and he helped lead OKC to the playoffs, which was far from a guarantee entering 2019-20 after trading away both Westbrook and Paul George.

Despite the fact that Paul assimilated well in OKC, the Thunder have plenty of incentive to trade him now while they still can.

Both Gilgeous-Alexander and Schroder are under contract through at least next season, which gives them more than enough guard depth. Also, Paul can become a free agent after the 2020-21 season if he opts out.

Per Spotrac, Paul is set to make over $41.3 million next season and would then make over $44.2 million in 2021-22 if he were to opt in.

That is a huge financial commitment, especially for an older player who has had some durability concerns over the past several years.

Rather than getting stuck with a potential albatross of a contract, trading Paul now while he still has value could land the Thunder more assets to add to the treasure trove of draft picks they already possess.

Trading Paul would also open up even more playing time for Schroder and Gilgeous-Alexander, the latter of whom seems poised to become a perennial All-Star.

Paul is a future Hall of Famer who has earned the right to dictate his next move, though, and Russillo's comments suggest the Thunder agree with that sentiment.