Report: Rockets have had preliminary talks about trading Chris Paul

The Houston Rockets have at least looked into the possibility of trading Chris Paul, according to a report.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Monday that the Rockets have had preliminary conversations about dealing Paul. Those talks have centered around teams who would have the cap space to take on Paul’s hefty salary, with the Rockets still owing the point guard roughly $125 million over the next three years.

There is no indication over just how likely or realistic a Paul deal would be, though Houston’s public stance has been that Paul isn’t a trade candidate.

The news comes on the heels of reports that Paul and teammate James Harden clashed frequently this season. This may be a factor in talks, but more realistically, Paul is a 34-year-old on a big contract who isn’t even the team’s lead option. It may simply be a case of the Rockets believing they can make better use of that cap space if they could just unload his deal.