We may not see Chris Paul wearing Phoenix Suns threads while hoisting up shots in a game environment for at least another month, but the same cannot be said for his teammates and all those typically present at team practices.
Yesterday afternoon, a video surfaced depicting Paul getting some shots up at the Verizon 5G Performance Center. He appeared to be throwing up some attempts even from beyond the 3-point arc, illustrating no awkward motions movements with his form while doing so.
👀👀👀👀 Chris Paul getting up shots. #Suns https://t.co/NPoecGsNuG pic.twitter.com/qLZRl3h0nQ
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 11, 2022
Less than three weeks into his recovery period, which was originally reported to be 6-8 weeks, this represents an incredibly encouraging sign for Suns fans, potentially endorsing a full return to basketball for the Point God much sooner than originally expected.
However, Paul did not stop there. According to backup point guard Cameron Payne, Paul continued with another shooting drill in practice where he smoked all his teammates.
“He beat us today with four fingers,” Payne admitted. “He kicked our .” Payne chose other words to finish that last sentence though, hopefully you get where I’m coming from.
The Phoenix sixth man then went onto mention his own surprise in seeing Paul back on the floor so soon. He called it a “good sign” as well.
Cam Payne said it was great to see Chris Paul back out there getting shots up and that with “4 fingers…kicked our ass.”
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) March 11, 2022
Also said his own ankle is feeling fine after rolling it on P.J. Tucker’s foot in Miami pic.twitter.com/sXDcEziZ5i
Regardless, this cannot help but make you think that if the postseason were only days away rather than weeks, Paul might be good to go for it. Assuming everyone participated, he just beat the likes of Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and Payne in a shootout—all of whom are lethal shot-makers in their own right.
For what it’s worth, it also sounds like the kind of story these players will one day tell their children about. Coming into a practice with a broken hand and still annihilating everyone feels like something you would hear about Micheal Jordan doing in The Last Dance.
Not only does this excerpt from Payne feed the growing optimism that Paul might return sooner rather than later, but it also adds to Paul’s mythos as an NBA legend.