Miami Heat: Pros and cons of a potential Chris Paul trade
By Simon Smith
Pros
Elite pedigree
It’s not every day that a nine-time All-Star, albeit at age 34, comes widely available. Looking past the age and contract, Paul has still proven he has the capabilities of performing at a high level.
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In his past two seasons as a member of the Houston Rockets, Chris Paul took a step back in his customary role as the primary ball handler to James Harden. Considering that Harden finished first and second in MVP voting the past two seasons, this is quite understandable.
However, it’s also meant that Paul’s talents have become somewhat forgotten due to the sheer presence of Harden.
One very simplistic view is the touches per game that Paul averaged with the Rockets compared to his final seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Touches per game
- Los Angeles Clippers 2013-17: 90.5 per game
- Houston Rockets 2017-19: 70.8 per game
The following tweet recently posted by Tom Haberstroh of NBC Sports clearly illustrates Paul’s production capabilities when afforded the opportunity:
https://twitter.com/tomhaberstroh/status/1154091246501150720?s=20
Competitive edge
While he has a well-earned reputation for being an antagonist as a teammate, the Heat may ultimately be his ultimate landing spot.
Given the Heat’s highly renowned approach to all aspects if the game, inserting the ultra-competitive Paul, in combination with Butler, could very well make for an intriguing partnership.
Mid-range magician
While his overall shooting numbers dropped, Paul’s mastery from the mid-range continued. Despite the Rockets ranking last in overall attempts from between 10-19 feet, this didn’t stop Paul from continuing his elite efficiency from this area of the floor.
Overall, Paul shot at a 48.6 percent clip from this range, significantly superior to the Heat’s overall 37.6 percent return.
Long-time admiration
Considering he’s been in the league since 2005 when he was taken as the No. 4 overall pick, Paul has had sufficient time to make a strong impression on the Heat, despite being placed in the Western Conference throughout that entire time.
In 25 career regular season appearances against the Heat, Paul has averaged 17 points, 9.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game, virtually mirroring his overall career numbers.
Given his accomplishments, it’s little wonder Paul has attracted the admiration of Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, with the following tweet from the 2014-15 season one example:
Erik Spoelstra calls Chris Paul, "A Peyton Manning decision-maker when he gets into the paint."
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) November 20, 2014
Granted, Spoelstra’s praise is now several seasons back, when Paul was spearheading the Clippers to a 56-win regular season. However, the comments are still relevant as it relates to Paul’s ability to run an offense, despite his advancing age.
As an aside to illustrate the impact he can still have on the performance of his team, the Rockets were an incredible 33-1 over the past two seasons when Paul recorded at least 10 assists.