Chris Paul called it a career in the strangest and most sad way possible recently, and already you the fans have let us know without any doubt that he means more to the Phoenix Suns than Kevin Durant.
Two things can be true however, and the Suns were also correct not to get involved with what would have been a retirement tour when they have been so competitive this season.
Suns could look to Paul as a future coach in The Valley
We all know Paul is one of the grestest minds that the game has ever known, and nobody would be surprised if he ends up being a head coach in the NBA one day.
So why don't the Suns get ahead of everybody else and bring him back in some sort of coaching capacity as soon as possible?
The franchise already has Steve Nash around as a consultant, although if Paul is interested in coaching we know he will devote himself entirely to the cause.
Donovan Mitchell on Chris Paul’s retirement:
— ¹⁰ (@HoodiGarland) February 14, 2026
“The way he retired should be changed. He deserved a better way to go out. For a hall of famer, a legend, a PG who had a high impact on our game, I wish it was handled differently. I wish him nothing but the best.” ❤️ pic.twitter.com/voddjShYib
His family live in Los Angeles and being near them was part of the reason he went back to the L.A. Clippers, but Phoenix is not too far away. So geographically it would not be a problem.
This would also give head coach Jordan Ott the chance to have one of the best point guards ever on staff, while Paul would learn from a coaching ticket that has quickly made a name for itself.
Devin Booker would be reunited with the teammate who he reached the NBA Finals with, while adding Paul wouldn't disrupt the excellent chemistry that is being built either.
If the Suns do manage to reach contender status in the coming seasons, then it would represent a chance for Paul to win the ring that he never managed to as a player.
There would be something so sweet about doing this in The Valley, given the Suns were the only team he managed to compete for a championship with.
Paul would obviously have other options if he does want to get into coaching, but the Suns also look like the most ideal fit of all of the organizations he played for.
He'll never work with the Clippers again while the Oklahoma City Thunder don't need him. Those of a certain age remember him with the New Orleans Hornets as they were called then, but that is both far away from home and not a situation that looks any fun to be around right now.
So if Paul does want to get back into the game quickly, joining the Suns makes the most sense for all involved and would bring back the feel good factor without having to take part in a retirement tour.