NBA Rumors: Orlando Needs Superstar Like Paul, OKC Could Offer Him For Right Pieces

Chris Paul still isn't safe from being traded nor being waived by the Thunder despite his clear intention of playing for the squad. Last week, several rumors spread throughout the NBA that the Bucks could become front runners to the CP3 sweepstakes.

The alleged deal that would ship Eric Bledsoe, Ersan Ilyasova and a couple of picks to OKC isn't bad. Paul could also play for a championship-contending team along with Giannis "The Greek Freak" Antetokounmpo.

Recently another team has come to the mix and Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes that the Magic could use Chris' services. According to Buckley, a trade that includes Paul and Andre Roberson could improve their chances in the East, especially with the departure of Kawhi Leonard.

He said that Paul could offer a "level of stardom Orlando hadn't seen since Dwight Howard" when he left in 2012. Buckley suggested that the Magic could send Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier, and D.J. Augustin for CP3, Roberson and a 2021 first-round pick.

Despite his age, Paul is still a competent point guard, having the third-most points off assists per game ratio with 21.1 points last season. Chris also had an impressive Real Plus-Minus (RPM) rate. He ranked 12th best among hundreds of other players, according to ESPN, with 4.76 RPM.

Notably, for the Magic, Aaron Gordon hadn't blossomed into the star that Orlando hoped for when he was taken in the 2014 NBA Draft. Meanwhile, the Thunder would also want to get rid of CP3's massive contract; in the process, they could acquire young assets in the deal.

A Paul and Vucevic combo also does not sound bad on paper. The nimble Montenegrin center is a point guard's dream. He can stretch the floor and is also a beast on the post, with CP3, Orlando could rely on pick and pop and pick and roll plays to get their offensive rhythm going.

Despite averaging his lowest point average career last season, Paul still has an impressive stat line with 15.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and two steals per game. He shot 41.9 percent on the field, 35.8 percent behind the arc, while shooting 86.2 percent on the free-throw line.

If the rumor pushes through, the deal could be beneficial for both squads. We saw crazy trades last year and we could witness more in the 2019-2020 NBA season.