It looks like Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns are headed towards a split.

I was kind of stunned when I saw they waived him considering he was a driver in the Kevin Durant trade. They also mortgaged their future to make that trade and put KD with Devin Booker and CP3. It seemed like they were going to give it one more season to see if they could win a ring. And I understand that the Suns have not officially let Paul go yet, but it is just a matter of time now it seems. So, if the Suns rip the cord and they let Paul walk, I have a few thoughts about where he may go.

If he is looking at it purely from a basketball stand point, for the love of the game, three teams make sense to me. He will have to take a pay cut to join these teams, but two of them could use him for a title, and the other would love to have a true star veteran around. The two title contending, or possible title contending teams, are the LA teams. The Clippers would love to sign him, if it works in their favor. CP3 would have to take less money, and a more diminished role, but it could work. The Clippers would have a legit big 3. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and CP3 make for an excellent big 3, a veteran laden big 3 and a team that could really compete in the West. Those three with Ivivca Zubac and Terrance Mann make for a very good starting five. They would have to try and keep some key bench guys, like Nic Batum, but CP3 going back to the Clippers would make them, on paper, a title contender. The big problem there is health. Those three guys, while incredible players, have never been able to stay healthy. They would also be very old.

The Lakers looked really good after the all star break last year and they ran their way to the West Finals with D'Angelo Russell playing point guard. CP3 is a major upgrade. While not the scorer he once was, nor the 3 point shooter Russell is, Paul is a superior distributor, defender and team leader. He would fit right in with LeBron and AD. If they could keep one or both of Austin Reeves and Rui Hachimura, the Lakers would have to be looked at as a real threat. Again, Paul would have to take a major pay cut, and health concerns would be almost as big an issue with the Lakers as it is with the Clippers. But, it is widely known that LeBron and CP3 are buddies, and LeBron wouldn't allow CP3 to be too much of a locker menace to the young guys. The Lakers fit feels damn near perfect.

The third team we have is the Spurs. I know, why the Spurs you may be asking? What benefit does he bring to that team? They aren't a real contender for a deep playoff run. They may not even make the play in. But imagine CP3 going there to be the wiley vet. Imagine him walking into that locker room with all of his accomplishments. Imagine him agreeing to play for Greg Poppovich and run his offense. Imagine him going to the best run team in the league. Imagine him going to play with presumed number 1 pick Victor Webanyama. This, to me, sounds almost as good as playing for the Lakers. He would be the star on the team, but he wouldn't have to be the face of the team. He would play for the best coach the NBA has ever seen. The Spurs are such a well run machine that not one can come in from the outside and screw it up. And he would get to play with one of the greatest prospects this game has ever seen. I would love it if this happened. I have never been a CP3 fan, but if he went to the Spurs and played their brand of basketball, that might make me a fan. I think he'd love to play with Webanyama. He could take Tre Jones under his wing. He could help Keldon Johnson take that next step. He could be the player who bridges the gap for the next Spurs point guard. This would be almost like late career Tony Parker going back in the form of Chris Paul. This would be the coolest decision he could make.

These are the three best options for him, in my opinion, when/if he is released by the Suns. If I had to rank in probability, I'd go, from 1-3, Lakers, Spurs and Clippers. I want to see him play for the Spurs, but I do believe he will go to the Lakers. CP3 still has one, maybe two more years of decent professional basketball left. Any team that gets him will be getting a true competitor, and one of the best point guards the NBA has ever seen. 

Ty