The Phoenix Suns made a few moves from free agency official on Friday, re-signing point guards Chris Paul and Cam Payne, as well as forward Abdel Nader.
Paul will be on a four-year deal worth up to $120 million, per Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro. That contract has only $15 million guaranteed in the third year and a team option on the fourth, according to Gambadoro.
Payne returns to the Suns on a three-year contract for a total of $19 million, reports Gambadoro. When compared to the backup point guard market, with the likes of Alex Caruso landing in Chicago and T.J. McConnell re-upping with Indiana for reported amounts north of $8 million per year, it’s quite the bargain signing by general manager James Jones.
Nader comes back on the minimum over two years, per Gambadoro.
Paul elected against picking up the one-year player option that would pay him $44 million in 2021-22 before reaching free agency. However, it appears he took little time choosing to re-join a Suns team that finished last season with the second-best record before making its first Finals appearance since 1993.
The 36-year-old now has long-term stability in what will likely be his last significant NBA contract.
Paul played 70 games during the regular season, averaging 16.4 points per game, 4.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists. He made Second Team All-NBA and the All-Star team.
Phoenix this past season retained Payne after he first joined the team for eight games in the Disney World bubble to close the 2019-20 season. The next year, he played a key role coming off the bench during the Suns’ run to their first postseason appearance in more than a decade.
Payne averaged 8.4 points with 3.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 60 games played.
He shot 44% from three-point land last season, a career-high.
Nader joined the Suns this past season as part of the Paul trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder. He appeared in 24 regular season games before he required arthroscopic knee surgery that kept him out from March 21 through June 26.
While the 27-year-old averaged 6.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in the regular season, hitting 49% of his overall shots and 42% from three-point range, the trust that Suns head coach Monty Williams had in him showed during the postseason.
The Suns also reportedly signed JaVale McGee and brought back Frank Kaminsky, leaving Phoenix with two open roster spots and a two-way contract available to dole out.