Who Will Chris Paul Play For In 2023-24? - Betting Odds

The Phoenix Suns have been one of the NBA’s top contenders for the past few years with Chris Paul leading the way, but after trading for Kevin Durant midway through last season and still losing in the second round, something had to give. The Suns parted ways with head coach Monty Williams and cut their 38-year-old floor general, Paul. Now, the 18-year veteran will be looking for greener pastures, but where will those pastures be? Believe it or not there are betting markets dedicated to where Paul will end up, and most NBA betting sites and betting apps have the Lakers as the odds-on favorites right now

Next Team Chris Paul Will Play For - Outright Odds Table

This will be the sixth team Chris Paul has played for in his NBA career and his fifth in the last six years. He’s been in Phoenix since 2020, however, and while he was a key cog for them a couple of years ago, it was clear that age was catching up to Paul quickly during this most recent campaign. However, there’s no doubt he can still contribute massively to a title contender in limited minutes. All odds provided by Bodog.

Los Angeles Lakers Odds Analysis

The Los Angeles Lakers were often derided over the last few seasons for trying to cobble together a championship team with a bunch of stars past their primes. However, at last year’s trade deadline they made trades to get younger and more dynamic, leading to a Western Conference Finals appearance.

While LeBron James likes to run an offense, it would be interesting to see a bonafide floor general like Chris Paul take a bit of the ball-handling pressure off of his fellow 38-year-old. Paul’s mid-range game is something the Lakers have lacked at times and the long and close friendship of James and Paul could also influence a move to the Lakers. At +145 the Lakers nearly seem like a shoo-in, so the plus odds are offering some solid value.

Los Angeles Clippers Odds Analysis

Based on the odds, the Clippers are their cross-town rival’s main competition for Chris Paul’s services. L.A.’s second-class citizens have much more intriguing +190 odds to land the 18-year veteran point guard with Russell Westbrook, who was the Clippers best player in the playoffs, likely heading to another team.

With Westbrook out the door, the Clippers are definitely in need of a point guard considering they don’t have any others signed to their roster currently. Paul would definitely fill a need there and could succeed in a role leading the second unit. The need is there, so the +190 odds are enticing for sure.

Boston Celtics Odds Analysis

The Celtics were once again unable to break through after making the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth time in the last seven years. Their main issue would seem to be that their two best players, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, have not performed at the requisite level in the postseason, and a veteran presence like Paul could help with that.

Malcolm Brogdon was great last year in the regular season, winning Sixth Man Of The Year honors, but in the Eastern Conference Finals he completely disappeared. Paul could give them a more seasoned and experienced playoff performer to supplement Brogdon, not to mention that the Celtics don’t currently have any mid-range assassin, pass-first kind of guards like Paul. At +650, the Celtics have the need for Paul and are still offering surprising value to land him.

Best Of The Rest

The New Orleans Pelicans are next on the odds table at +1,000, which could be a very interesting challenge for Paul. They’re a very young team with a young and exciting coach in Willie Green, and Paul could definitely help their young stars reach their potential sooner. However, recent rumors about Zion Williamson’s future could keep Paul from giving it a shot.

The San Antonio Spurs also have +1,000 odds, and with the impending arrival of sensation Victor Wembanyama in Greg Poppovich’s locker room, there is some attraction there. However, it would be a similar situation to the Pelicans, only the Spurs are not nearly as far along on their rebuild. This would have to be a last resort for Paul, which is not an impossible scenario, unfortunately for him.

The Miami Heat also have +1,000 odds in the Chris Paul sweepstakes, but with a younger and similar player already on the roster in Kyle Lowry, it wouldn’t make much sense. The Minnesota Timberwolves probably offer the best value of all with +2,200 odds, as they’re a team on the cusp of playoff success with several massive young talents that Paul could help mold. The presence of veteran point guard Mike Conley in Minny does complicate that theory some, however.