The New Orleans Pelicans were one of the teams with interest in signing Chris Paul should he become a free agent, but there is now an expectation around the NBA that he will remain with the Phoenix Suns. Paul and the Suns reached The Finals in his first season with the team.

Paul has a $44.2 million player option for 21-22 with the Suns that he could decline to become an outright free agent. Paul could also pick up the option and sign an extension with the Suns.

"The feeling within the league now is that Chris Paul is going to stay put in Phoenix," said Brian Windhorst on The Hoop Collective podcast. "The belief is Chris Paul will not ever be on the open market."

The Brooklyn Nets have agreed to trade Landry Shamet to the Phoenix Suns for Jevon Carter and the 29th pick.

The Nets acquired Shamet from the Los Angeles Clippers last offseason. 

Monty Williams previously coached Shamet during his rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Shamet averaged 9.3 points on 38.7 percent shooting on three-pointers during his lone season with the Nets. 

Shamet is eligible for an extension this offseason or he will become a restricted free agent in 2022.

The Phoenix Suns have agreed to hire Bryan Gates as an assistant coach.

Gates will replace Willie Green, who was hired by the New Orleans Pelicans as head coach.

Gates previously worked with Williams for five seasons with the Pelicans. 

The Los Angeles Lakers are interested in acquiring a veteran point guard, sources tell Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.

Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook are on the Lakers' list.

For the Lakers to acquire Paul, it would likely require the Phoenix Suns to participate in a sign-and-trade. The Lakers can only offer Paul a starting salary of $9.5 million with their taxpayer midlevel of exception. Paul orchestrated an opt-in and trade in leaving the Los Angeles Clippers for the Houston Rockets in 2017. 

If the Lakers were to acquire Westbrook, it would be via trade with the Washington Wizards likely involving Dennis Schroder, Kyle Kuzma and Talen Horton-Tucker.

Paul and Westbrook were traded for each other in 2019.

Chris Paul is ready to continue his NBA career next season after coming two wins short of his first NBA championship. Paul had become arguably the NBA's great player ever to never reach a Finals until he did so with the Phoenix Suns this season.

"It will take a while to process this or whatnot, but it's same mentality," Paul said after the Bucks' 105-98 series clincher. "Get back to work. I ain't retiring, if that's what you're asking. That's out. So, back to work."

Paul had 26 points and five assists in Game 6.

"Right now, you're just trying to figure out what you could have done more," Paul said. "It's tough. Great group of guys, hell of a season, but this one is going to hurt for a while."

Paul has a player option worth $44.2 million for the 21-22 season, which he could decline to sign a longer deal.

The Milwaukee Bucks have won the 2021 NBA championship, defeating the Phoenix Suns 105-98 in Game 6.

After losing the first two games of the series in Phoenix, the Bucks won the next four games.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in Game 6 to close out one of the best Finals in NBA history. Antetokounmpo was named Finals MVP.

“I want to thank Milwaukee for believing in me," said Antetokounmpo. "I trusted this team. I wanted to do it here in this city with these guys, so I’m happy we were able to get it done.”

The NBA assigned Scott Foster to referee Game 6 of The Finals with the Phoenix Suns facing elimination.

Foster has officiated 11 straight postseason losses in games Chris Paul has played in.

Paul is 2-15 overall in playoff games he has played in that Foster has officiated, and he has a contentious history with Foster.

The two Suns games Paul has played in that Foster has refereed in these playoffs are the two most lopsided losses of Phoenix's playoff run.

The Phoenix Suns have lost three in a row to the Milwaukee Bucks after taking the first two games of The Finals and now face a win-or-go-home Game 6.

"Throughout this whole playoff run, this is our first elimination game," Chris Paul said. "So it's for real. It's no looking back now. We got to come out, be ready to play and it's either win or go home."

The Suns know they will have the edge in a Game 7 at home if they can win on the road in Game 6.

"It's definitely exciting," Paul said. "Something that Coach and everybody has been saying: If you went to the beginning of the season and said we had a chance to be where we are right now, would you take it? Absolutely. Absolutely. And we get a chance to determine the outcome.

"It's not like the game is going to be simulated or somebody else got to play. We get a chance. We control our own destiny. So I think that's the exciting part about it."

Chris Paul struggled in Games 3 and 4 of The Finals, averaging just 14.5 points and eight assists. Paul also had five turnovers in Game 4. Paul was asked if the partially torn ligaments in his right hand flared up in those games. 

"No, I'm good," Paul assured, when asked about the hand on Friday.

Monty Williams backed up Paul's claim of a clean bill of health.

"Yeah, he's fine," Williams said. "Other than having to deal with me, he's good."

Willie Green will officially be hired as the next head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans once The Finals concludes next week.

Green is currently an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns.

Green will replace Stan Van Gundy in the role for the Pelicans.