Houston Rockets: Is Chris Paul worth a max contract?

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HOUSTON, TX – MAY 28: Chris Paul #3 of the Houston Rockets looks on from the bench in the first quarter of Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on May 28, 2018 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Is there a happy medium?

If you side on the Houston Rockets, there has to be a better way. Right? The Rockets can’t tie up nearly $50 million of their cap space on a 38-year-old past his prime point guard. This organization, one that prides itself on analytics, is simply too smart to make that type of short-sighted mistake.

Which brings us to our next point; Is there a happy medium?

Houston would love to hear that Paul would be willing to take a bit of a discount to keep this Rockets momentum going for years to come. However, everything we’ve heard in the last few weeks regarding Paul’s free agency doesn’t suggest anything close to that.

Paul opted in last season with the Clippers in order to facilitate a trade to Houston. He left money on the table – had he opted out and signed with a team with cap space, he wouldn’t made more money that he did this past season. I’m pretty sure the Rockets and Paul had an under-the-table agreement to make it all come together, which is likely supposed to end with Houston ponying up a max deal this summer.

So I don’t think there’s a middle ground here, unfortunately for the Rockets. It sounds like it’s a max offer or no Chris Paul next season.

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