The Suns flirt with a familiar face as point guard questions linger

Phoenix may be ready for a second date with Chris Paul.

Retreads. A word that makes most fans wince, and with good reason.

When the Phoenix Suns were searching for a new head coach this past May, names like Taylor Jenkins or Mike Malone never made it past the rumor mill. Why? Because we just lived through the Mike Budenholzer and Frank Vogel experience. Recycling another head coach from the same coaching tree, with the same rigid tendencies, would’ve felt like déjà vu wrapped in mediocrity. And in case you forgot, those seasons didn’t end well.

The same logic applies to players. You don’t build a contender on faded nostalgia. You don’t resurrect past glory by dusting off a jersey and hoping it still fits.

That’s why every time I hear Kelly Oubre’s name floated in connection with Phoenix, I roll my eyes so hard I risk permanent optic damage. He was fun. He was a vibe. “Valley Boyz” was a moment. But we never won with him. He served his purpose, and then the purpose passed.

The only two returning Suns I can remember not minding were Leandro Barbosa and Kevin Johnson. But even then, it wasn’t about recapturing some former magic. They were late-career vets brought in to guide young teams, not to rewrite history.

The same could be said for Chris Paul.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Since departing the Valley in the trade that brought in Bradley Beal, he’s made pit stops in Golden State and San Antonio. In San Antonio, he started all 82 games, a minor miracle in itself, even if his numbers dipped to career lows: 8.8 points and 7.4 assists per night. Respectable, sure, but a far cry from the maestro who once orchestrated Phoenix’s every possession like a symphony.

So as retreads go? You could argue there are better options.

And yet, here we are. His name is bubbling back to the surface, a familiar tune in the Suns’ offseason playlist. According to the latest from The Stein Line Substack, there’s mutual interest between CP3 and Phoenix, a second act being quietly sketched out in the margins.

“The Los Angeles Clippers, in addition to Phoenix, are another of Paul’s former teams that is said to be weighing a second engagement with the 12-time NBA All-Star, who turned 40 in May. Paul’s family stayed in Los Angeles this season while Dad played in South Texas.”

The point guard position remains the Phoenix Suns’ greatest offseason riddle. They’re loaded with guards, sure, but they’re all cut from the same cloth. Devin Booker. Bradley Beal. Jalen Green. All scorers. All bucket-getters. None of them a true orchestrator.

They don’t have a floor general. They don’t have a quarterback. And while Collin Gillespie might get a longer look, assuming he accepts his qualifying offer, he projects more as a TJ McConnell type: steady, scrappy, useful in doses, but likely not a starting-caliber point guard in this league.

That’s where Chris Paul reenters the conversation.

Yes, he turned 40 in May. Yes, his physical tools are diminished. But the mind? Still sharp as a razor. In a locker room searching for identity, CP3 brings something this team has sorely lacked since his departure: command. Presence. Accountability.

The past two seasons, the Suns have had plenty of star power, but little in the way of on-court direction. Paychecks were high. Expectations even higher. But leadership? That’s been absent. And while we don’t have access to the inner workings of the locker room, what we do see on the court is a team that has often looked lost. Disconnected. Rudderless.

CP3 doesn’t solve everything. But if you can bring him in on a veteran minimum deal, it’s not about the stats, it’s about the standard. His voice. His mind. His ability to tighten the screws when things get loose.

As free agency opens Monday at 3 PM Arizona time, these conversations will only grow louder. Chris Paul may no longer be the answer. But for a team searching for direction, he might still be the compass.

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