NBA game people|Even children were ridiculed together Paul's regrets are more than the crown
In the 2011 offseason, the Lakers, Hornets, and Rockets negotiated a heavyweight deal, the Lakers sent Gasol + Odom to get Paul, and the Rockets sent Dragic + Martin + Scola + a first-round pick to get Gasol. The Hornets sent Paul for Dragic + Martin + Scola + Odom + a first-round pick. Kobe, who was 33 years old at the peak, was the first person in the league at the time, and the 26-year-old Paul was the first point guard in the league, and if the two of them teamed up, the probability of winning a championship was very high, which may be the closest to a championship in Paul's career.
At that time, the Hornets and Lakers had already reached a deal, and Paul and Kobe Bryant were already on the phone to imagine the future of cooperation. But because the Hornets were in the league's trusteeship stage at the time, just 45 minutes after the deal was announced, it was voted down by the owners of the other 29 NBA teams, and was finally stopped by president Stern for basketball reasons. Paul's championship dream lasted only a short 45 minutes, and Paul later bluntly said in an interview that the league owes me a championship trophy.
On June 7, 2023, Paul was interviewed, and when he talked about his feelings about not winning the championship so far, the 38-year-old veteran was a little embarrassed. "It makes me feel bad, but I think it makes it harder for people around me," he said. Especially my wife, who is the one who has to endure sleepless nights. My daughter is the most beautiful soul you can meet, but she came to that age when the children would talk nonsense about her in school. There was a little boy at school who said reckless things to him, like, 'Your dad will never win a championship!'
On June 8, 2023, Hayes reported that the Suns will cut Paul before the June 28 deadline, and although Hayes later refuted the rumor, the Suns may also send Paul off in a trade. Paul will most likely miss the Suns next season, and this offseason, where Paul goes has become a topic of conversation again. Let's recall those moments in Paul's career when he was very close to a championship.
1. The city of fast ships by air
On November 15, 2011, Paul was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. With the physical, Griffin and Jordan Jr. around Paul of the Clippers, Los Angeles is famous as an airborne city. Unfortunately, from 2011 to 2017, although the game was very spectacular, and they won the first regular season record in the West many times, the best record of the Clippers playoffs was the Western Conference semifinals, during which Paul also had several playoff key moments injured.
Second, the combination of rocket bulbs
On June 29, 2017, the Houston Rockets traded 7-for-1 to get Paul from the Clippers and formed a bulb combination with Harden, who was in full swing at the time. The Rockets played an excellent 65-17 record during the regular season, entering the playoffs to defeat the Timberwolves in the first round, defeating the Jazz in the second round, and the Rockets led the Warriors 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals, but unfortunately Paul was injured again, and then the Rockets lost 3-4 to the Warriors, Paul hated again.
Third, the three giants of the sun
On November 17, 2020, Paul was traded to the Phoenix Suns. Under the leadership of Paul, Booker and Ayton, the Suns defeated the Lakers in the first round, the Nuggets in the second round, the Clippers in the Western Conference finals, and the Bucks in the Finals, and the Suns lost 2-4 to the Bucks to win the championship. This should be the closest Paul has come to a championship.
Fourth, the four giants of the sun
On February 9, 2023, Durant was traded to the Phoenix Suns. On the basis of Paul, Booker, and Ayton, the Suns added Durant, and for a while the media shouted the finale, the Suns championship. But due to Durant's injury, the Suns have less run-in, they are not ranked well in the regular season, they met the Nuggets early, Paul was injured again, Ayton did not perform well, and the Suns only won 2 games against the Nuggets under Booker and Durant. According to the current trend of the Finals, if Paul is not injured, if they can survive the Nuggets, Paul still has a high probability of winning the championship.
Paul also has two things worth mentioning, one is that he is known as a boss killer. In 2011, Hornets owner George Sean was diagnosed with cancer and was unable to run the team, resulting in the Hornets being hosted by the league, which directly led to the suspension of the deal between Paul and Kobe. In 2014, Clippers owner Sterling's allegedly racist voice in a chat with his girlfriend was exposed by reporters, and after the NBA intervened in the investigation, it announced a permanent suspension and fine for Sterling, and finally Sterling was forced to sell the team. In 2017, Rockets owner Alexander temporarily sold the team, and in 2021 Suns owner Robert Savor had a serious "crime", including racism and misogyny, and was eventually forced to sell the team. After staying in 5 teams and 4 bosses, Paul really cost the boss.
The other is a 58-point meme. In the first round of the 2008-2009 playoffs, the Hornets lost by 58 points 63-121 against the Nuggets, and Paul has since had an extra 58-point meme.
Objectively speaking, the 38-year-old Paul still has oil in the tank, and he is still full of fighting spirit, but his age and the fact that he will suffer injuries as soon as he reaches the playoffs has doomed Paul to win the championship as a core.