Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta says Chris Paul had the worst contract in sports history and that is why he got traded.
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The Houston Rockets have been a premier team in the league, ever since James Harden made his way to the Rockets in 2013. They have not missed the Playoffs since Harden’s arrival and even made the Western Conference Finals twice since then.
The Rockets were the only team in the Western Conference who tried to push the stacked late 2010s Golden State Warriors, while the rest decided to take a backseat. The Rockets did this by acquiring star point guard Chris Paul.
Chris Paul signed a 4 year, $159 million deal in 2018-19 while still with the Rockets but after getting bounced by the Warriors yet again in the WCSF, the Rocket pulled the plug on Paul and traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Tilman Fertitta calls Chris Paul’s contract the worst in sports history
The frontcourt pairing of James Harden and Chris Paul almost beat the Warriors in the 2018 WCF but lost in 7 games due to the infamous, ’27 straight misses from 3’ Game 7. With not a single Finals berth secured, Tilman Fertitta traded Paul to OKC and acquired Russell Westbrook.
This is because Fertitta believed Chris Paul had the worst contract, not only in NBA history, but in sport history.
According to @espn_macmahon on the Chris Paul/Russell Westbrook trade;
“That trade was made because Tilman Fertitta (Rockets Owner) wanted it made. He thought Chris Paul’s contract was the worst he’d ever seen in business or sports.” pic.twitter.com/tXvu9GBLKR
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 16, 2020
This did not work out however as the 2020 Rockets couldn’t even reach the WCF as they got sent home in 5 by the Lakers in the Semis.
Is Chris Paul’s contract the worst in sports history?
Chris Paul may have contract that is quite large considering the fact that he is 35 years old but he has proven this season that he is still one of the premier point guards the NBA has to offer, leading a young OKC team to the 5th seed.
Also read: ‘Chris Paul to Knicks’: Kevin Knox the major piece in Thunder trading CP3 to the New York Knicks
Besides, Russell Westbrook has a larger contract worth $206 million over 5 years and the Rockets ended up with the same result without the NBPA President: missing the NBA Finals.
