Bringing back Chris Paul in shocking fashion may be the Suns only shot at contention

The Phoenix Suns are currently in the midst of a seven-game losing streak - their longest of the season - and most recently allowed the Golden State Warriors to come into town and beat them by 38 points. Worse again, that was a game the team simply had to win in order to keep their fading play-in hopes alive.

It is clear there is something fundamentally broken in Phoenix at this point - which is why drafting this guy might not be such a bad idea - and it could yet get worse before it gets better. Kevin Durant may have played his last game for the franchise, while it doesn't look like Bradley Beal is going anywhere.

Bringing Chris Paul back in unusual circumstances makes sense.

The one crucial element Paul brought to the organization from the moment he landed in Phoenix was the belief that they could and should be an elite team. You can think what you like of Paul - and he annoys rival fanbases - but he's the type of guy you love to have on your team and who has brought that mentality everywhere he has played.

Prior to Victor Wembanyama going down, he was also guiding the young San Antonio Spurs and making them believe they could at least make the postseason. In doing so he kept likely Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle out of the starting lineup, even if that is something that perhaps should not have been the case. Then again, hard to argue with moments like this from the veteran.

Paul is soon to be 40-years-old - and although he hasn't formally announced he is retiring at the end of the season and is still capable of being out there 20 minutes each night - the end might be upon us. If that is to be the case, the Suns absolutely have to look at bringing him in right away in a coaching capacity.

As head coach is unlikely to happen - not because fans don't want current leading man Mike Budenholzer gone - but because the franchise would have to pay him off in order to go away. One year into a five-year deal - and having done the same thing to Frank Vogel at the end of last season - that doesn't seem likely. Paul also may not be ready for a top job right away.

Then again - he's one of the smartest players to ever play the game - and most everybody in the league respects what he has achieved on the court. We also know he has a great relationship with Devin Booker, and Paul deserves some credit for showing Booker the ropes of being a superstar and becoming the franchise cornerstone he is today.

At this point what he does in the locker-room and away from the court is more valuable than what he brings on it, and the Suns desperately need to change the culture after this woeful season. Paul might not be able to get Bradley Beal to care like he does for example, but he would also have no problem leaving him behind and galvanizing the rest of the squad.

Should Paul not decide to hang them up after this season, then the Suns could also look at adding him on a minimum deal. Perhaps to sweeten the deal a plan could be put in place for Paul to transition straight into coaching in The Valley once he is done. Firstly under Budenholzer before one day ascending to the top job himself. Phoenix needs Chris Paul back, in any capacity.