Houston Rockets: 3 takeaways from the 2019 NBA offseason

3. Chris Paul era in Houston has officially come to a close

Despite playing a vital part in guiding the Houston Rockets within a game of reaching the 2018 NBA Finals, many people around the league wondered how much Chris Paul had left to give to the game of basketball.

There was also the question of whether the 34-year-old guard was overcompensated for his on-court efforts, as the floor general — who sought to be traded to Clutch City in the summer of 2017 — had signed a four-year, $160 million pact to remain with Houston last offseason.

Now, the former All-Star’s days with the Rockets have come to an end, as the man who quickly became an instant fan favorite in H-Town is getting set to embark upon his next chapter.

Paul, who starred for two seasons alongside James Harden in Houston, is officially a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder after being dealt as the centerpiece asset by the Rockets to acquire Russell Westbrook last month.

"“I hated that call,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle following the immediate aftermath of his latest blockbuster move. “I’m sure he hated it more. He’s been such a great player for us. We were moments away from winning a title with him.”"

Although the majority of basketball fans around the country will speculate if reported dissension between Harden and Paul led to the eventual outcome, the two stars successfully found a way to show that the pairing of two offensive masterminds and ball-dominant players could work.

Even in the midst of when their personal relationship came into question, the presence of CP3 and The Beard would cause opposing coaching staffs constant nightmares when healthy under head coach Mike D’Antoni.

Over the course of their two-year tenure together, the Rockets were 81-22 record in games where Harden and Paul were both in the lineup.

That included a trip to the 2018 Western Conference Finals, as Paul’s short time with the franchise provided the city of Houston with a euphoria of hope that the Rockets had what it took to defeat the Golden State Warriors.

But ultimately the Rockets fell short of capturing their first NBA championship since 1995, as the Paul-Harden pairing produced as many highs as lows.

It was still a period the majority of Rockets fans will more than likely never forget no matter how it all unfolded.