3 Dark Horse Chris Paul Trade Destinations

Cover Photo: Getty Images

Chris Paul has been one of the NBA's premier point guards over the past decade and a member of what some would argue is a top-5 backcourt in the league. Along with James Harden, the Houston Rockets got knocked out of back-to-back postseasons at the hands of the Golden State Warriors.

Unfortunately for Rockets fans, it doesn't look like a marriage that was meant to last. News broke on Tuesday that Paul demanded to be traded this offseason, with the report calling his tenuous relationship with Harden "unsalvageable."

With a trade out of Houston possible, here are a few dark horse teams that could seemingly come out of nowhere to snatch up the nine-time All-Star.

3. New York Knicks

The New York Knicks haven't exactly had the best past few weeks. For those who haven't been paying close attention, they ended up with the third pick in Thursday's NBA Draft, missing out on Zion Williamson. Another potential offseason target, Anthony Davis, was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Acquiring Paul could salvage things – to an extent. The Knicks apparently turned down a recent offer from the Rockets for Paul, but things could change quickly depending on who the Knicks end up drafting.

2. Charlotte Hornets

Re-signing Kemba Walker likely won't be an easy task for the Hornets and, if the All-Star point guard decides to leave, then Charlotte will be in the market for a new floor general. Paul, who is from North Carolina and went to Wake Forest, could be a nice consolation prize for the Hornets. A player like Malik Monk would likely be the centerpiece of Charlotte's trade package and, considering the Rockets don't have a pick in this year's NBA Draft, throwing in the Hornets' No. 12 pick would be a nice trade kicker to help facilitate a deal.

1. San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs have flirted with Paul for years. The Spurs didn't have a bonafide floor general this past season, as no point guard on San Antonio's roster averaged more than three assists per game. Paul has been one of the best facilitators in the game, averaging 9.7 assists per game in his career, and would create a Big Three, along with LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan. Swinging a deal for the 33-year-old guard would give Gregg Popovich the coach on the floor he's been missing since Tony Parker left town, and would likely give the Spurs enough talent to compete in a loaded Western Conference.

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Mike Esposito is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Mike Esposito also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username espo6891. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.