Could free agent Chris Paul sign with the Phoenix Suns? Here's what insiders say

Chris Paul knows his retirement is on the horizon, but still has some gas left in the tank at age 40.

If he adds one more year to his 20-year Hall of Fame career, he wants to play for a team closer to his family in Los Angeles. Could that mean a possible reunion between the Point God and Phoenix Suns or maybe the Los Angeles Clippers ?

As free agency opens on Monday, June 30, at 3 p.m., speculation about a Paul-Suns reunion began this past weekend when NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that Paul, who spent last season with the San Antonio Spurs , is "determined to play closer to his home base in Los Angeles if he indeed comes back."

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Paul played three seasons in Phoenix before he was traded to Washington in the blockbuster deal for Bradley Beal in June 2023. He was traded again within a week to Golden State and played there for one year before he joined San Antonio.

Now, the 12-time All-Star is a free agent who just ended a one-year deal as a starter with the rebuilding San Antonio Spurs. Paul averaged a formidable 8.8 points, 7.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and had .427/.377/.924 splits per game.

He finished as the NBA's seventh-best in assists and became the third player in league history to play all 82 games at age 39 or older, besides Michael Jordan and John Stockton. The Spurs finished with 34 wins and 13th in the Western Conference standings last season.

Ever since Paul departed from Phoenix, the team's starting point guard spot has been unsteady, with Devin Booker, whose natural position is shooting guard, often setting up the offense. Tyus Jones was signed last season to fill that role, but he was inconsistent. Jones, who was on a one-year contract and is a free agent, started in 58 of his 81 appearances.

Collin Gillespie, who was on a two-way contract last season but emerged with several strong games late in the year at the position, plans to sign a one-year guaranteed deal with the Suns, ESPN's Shams Charania reported.

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During Paul's appearance on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show on June 5, he spoke about his passion to continue playing at his age and where he could play next, contingent upon his family's plan.

"I talked to my family about it," Paul said. "My son just turned 16. My daughter's 12. The past six seasons, I have lived without them. So I go to San Antonio, Phoenix, Golden State, they were in Houston with me, but I've been around a few teams. But I've been away from them for the last six years, so it's a little different."

The Suns have 11 players under contract entering the free agency period and are far past the second league tax apron after they traded Kevin Durant to Houston on June 22. Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro reported early Monday that the Suns would not be retaining Cody Martin, whose contract was not guaranteed until free agency opens. Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin reconfirmed the Suns are waiving Martin and he'll become an unrestricted FA, which saves $8.68 million as they look to get under the second apron.

That means they can only sign free agents veteran minimums as they opt to rebuild with a younger roster. That includes the Suns' three draft picks from last week, Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea, as well as 23-year-old center Mark Williams, who the Suns acquired from Charlotte in exchange for their first-round No. 29 pick, Vasa Micic, and their 2029 first-round pick.

Ayton not bound for Suns reunion

On Sunday, ESPN's Sham Charania reported that the Suns' former No. 1 overall pick, Deandre Ayton and the Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to a buyout of his $35.5 million salary that he's owed next season.

But don't expect Ayton and the Suns to get back together in free agency.

Ayton was entering the final year of his four-year, $132.9 million deal. That contract originally came from the Suns in 2022 when they matched his rookie sheet offer from Indiana, which was the largest in league history at the time, to retain him as a restricted free agent.

Ayton is entering his eighth year and played just 40 games last season because of injuries. He averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and a block in his second season with Portland, after he was traded there from Phoenix in the three-team deal that sent All-Star Damian Lillard to Milwaukee. The Suns acquired Jusuf Nurkic, Keon Johnson, Nassir Little from Portland and Grayson Allen from Milwaukee in that deal.

Ayton was the Suns' starting center during their 2021 finals run. He produced 16.7 points and 10.4 rebounds during his five years for his hometown team, Phoenix.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Could free agent Chris Paul sign with the Phoenix Suns? Here's what insiders say