Pros and Cons of Raptors making a run at signing Chris Paul

The Toronto Raptors, like the rest of the NBA, had to be stunned when they saw the latest transaction hit the waiver wire. Chris Paul, who was projected to be a member of the Phoenix Suns’ push for yet another championship run, could be looking for work.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Suns will either try to find some sort of trade for Paul or waive him as they try to start from scratch around Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Paul reportedly wants to play a few more years for a contending team in pursuit of a ring.

The Raptors may not necessarily fit the timeline right now, but Masai Ujiri has shown that he is willing to pay top dollar for a future Hall of Famer in an attempt to get one last title run out of his current core. With Fred VanVleet potentially ready to bolt, CP3 could be on their list.

Will the Raptors go after Paul? More importantly, should they consider making such a move? This move could make the Raptors a potential contender, but it is also fraught with risks that could make this a less-than-ideal pairing of an aging star and a confused franchise.

Pros and Cons of the Toronto Raptors chasing Chris Paul.

Pros

If the Raptors have resigned themselves to losing VanVleet, Paul might be the star point guard who best fits this team. While Paul is getting up there in age, he is still a very productive player that will find himself near the very top of the leaderboard in terms of assists per game.

Paul is just one season removed from leading the league in APG, and even those who love to mock his relative postseason success will recognize that he can control a game as well as anyone. Point guards like him are a dying breed, but he could be a good fit for the Raptors.

Chris Paul could boost the Toronto Raptors.

Paul will make sure that Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes get all the shots they need, as he is a playmaker first and a scorer second. VanVleet is a terrific player, but he can dominate the ball and often times take some peculiar shots that will make fans shake their head.

If Ujiri didn’t like the fact that the Raptors played very selfish basketball in the past, adding a veteran leader like Paul could help get the troops in order and prevent insubordination. For a brand new coach, having an extra coach on the court in Paul will help the scheme run smoothly.