A look at former Phoenix Suns Chris Paul, Mikal Bridges and what they each bring to their new teams

A look at former Phoenix Suns Chris Paul, Mikal Bridges and what they each bring to their new teams

man it’s going to be definitely an honor and a privilege obviously I’ve admired pop from afar from years and you know uh when you’re in this for a while as as he’s done for a long time there’s so much respect there not only for his basketball IQ but just for who he is as a person you know as a competitor and all of this and so uh Pap has always been someone that I’ve spoken to you know before jump ball during the game or whatnot if it’s not if it’s just a little conversation here or there so um I’m excited to to learn from him and and the coaching staff here Chris Paul introduced as a member of the San Antonio Spurs yesterday at a press conference Harrison Barnes also had his intro introductory press conference and the Chris Paul’s had an interesting last few years um like you know the suns were able to move on from him trade him to Washington he ends up getting traded to Golden State a lot of people didn’t think Chris Paul would last a year in Golden State he did they end up waiting giving him they can’t find a trade partner for that guaranteed salary so he ends up signing an $1 million one-year deal with San Antonio made it very clear yesterday Kevin too it’s like everybody always equates the championship Chase of Chris Paul he’s he doesn’t have a ring he’s not going to win one in San Antonio he says at this point he just wants to hoop what’s the meme he’s two years sober from when he said I’m addicted to getting to the NBA finals congrats um but he a lot of his comments like he talked about how I’m away from my family I know I’m not going to win a championship basically I just want to play because when I’m not playing I’m not happy yeah I mean personally that’s great for him but I think when you look at like his legacy and all that stuff it’s really interesting because we talked about when Steve Nash was here too like he made guys’ career DeAndre Jordan was just a raw Center Prospect and then he helped him take his game to the next level and he’s just he’s still in the NBA um you go through the list like DeAndre Aton got to the NBA finals had his best run he was essential to that guy having a lot of success with the Suns and now he’s paired with a guy who everyone thinks is going to basically succeed LeBron um so I I think when we look back at Chris Paul’s career it’s going to be that like he changed the game in many different ways but he helped out a lot of individuals who themselves might change the game you’d also it you’re hard pressed to find an alltime great player like he is an all-time great top 25 player of all time maybe M who’s played on this many teams journeyman I mean seriously and Shaq is there Shaq is there but this is this is even more than Shaq and several of those teams were in his prime changing teams too which you don’t often see for all-time great players but by the way I I’m sure you’ve seen the meme that’s out there the rainbow meme yeah Shaq had the UN rainbow gray SL white is not a color in the rainbow it doesn’t work for Chris Paul he’s just played on a lot of teams uh but he did talk about you know uh obviously Victor W Bama being a huge draw for him being in San Antonio Victor being here helped too obviously and them having a young team and getting a chance to watch him right like I I played against him this season and I tell you there’s probably no player in the league that everybody in the league talks about after the game like him because everybody has to adjust stuff me and Harrison was on our flight yesterday just talking about how cool is gonna be at this point in our careers to get a chance to appreciate him day in and day out you know so that definitely helped that’s pretty interesting nobody gets talked about the way that Victor wanyama does is it the newness factor I mean being 7 foot4 with that skill set and coming from a foreign country in his first year there’s a lot of newness there I get it it’s jarring I saw him in person for the first time and I was like that he can’t be he can’t be from this planet yeah but to hear Chris Paul who’s seen everything say that is pretty interesting it’s crazy cuz we’re not that far removed from saying oh Luca and how he immediately impacted the NBA coming from Slovenia and overseas playing pro um Giannis obviously came up a different way um and was more of an athlete before we realized he’s like a really good MVP caliber player every year joic also was kind of slow to become yeah yeah and and this guy just you know has met the expectations I would say and the things he does are just so unique and I think that’s the draw on it too it’s like his size go look at what Clips highlight clips of um France’s uh exhibition games how he’s playing aside Rudy goar and he looks like a point guard but he’s 7even to4 yeah just it it’s just a mindboggling combination of skills and and size I think the question is how much better now can he get which makes it almost like the perfect thing for in year two to pair him with Chris Paul I want to ask you crazy KY as you like to be called I do um what how good do you think the Spurs could be now this year with their the veteran additions and year two of w gee Jared that was where I was going to take the conversation as one of the co-hosts of the show there but thanks man you’re welcome for help he’s helping me out he’s helping me out uh yeah your question was where how good you think they’ll be yeah he’s putting his feet up yes I know he’s being very childish he being dramatic over here um no I’m just getting comfortable um I don’t think they’re going to be a super playoff Contender I think they’re now going to be in that tier of like 7 89 10 where they’re going to be in the playoff conversation um I think wem’s going to be really good he’s going to take a huge leap forward but I’m not sold on the rest of that roster and if Chris Paul’s healthy for a full season like that’s going to help but I’m still not sure yeah uh another former son in a new place being introduced yesterday Mel Bridges in New York across the bridge with the Knicks I’m excited to be here uh excited to be a Nick you know excited to play MSG um excited to see my guy Spike cor side um I don’t know just you know just great to be here you know obviously just a team we have and um tibs and everybody um you know I want to thank a lot of people thank Leon thank my agent Sam and Jordan um you know thanks to next organization everybody um you know they’ve been great since I’ve been there so um you know just really appreciative and you know excited to get to work I hate that it’s the summer cuz you got to wait you know a long time to play but um really excited we’ve focused a lot on the Western Conference but man what the Knicks accomplished in the playoffs the Run they made with the odds stacked against them from an injury standpoint and then they follow it up and the first big Domino to fall was Mel brides getting traded from Brooklyn to the Knicks I love what they’re what they’re doing in New York and I can’t it’s been maybe the first time in my lifetime I can say that with a straight face yeah the hartenstein loss like was a big one I think but but to bring back an anobi too and a lot of people expected that not to happen this is going to be like Julius Randle is going to be healthy who didn’t even play in the second half of this season yes of teams when you think about toughness like and their head coach by the way who might ruin Mel bridges’ healthy streak let’s knock on wood um hey he can only play 48 minutes G he’s going to be C there yeah I I think that’s going to be the toughest team in the NBA man um just their wing switchability their size their physicality like OG’s going to lock down your bigger forwards Mel’s going to get the main perimeter guy and kind of go back to what he did on the sun yes he’s going to he’s going to be a third option offensively at best on that team on on most nights if Randall and Brunson are healthy I I love what that addition is so good and and we didn’t even talk about like do Suns fans know who they drafted Tyler KCK lots of suns fans wanted him on the Suns um Kevin mcculler Jr who I don’t know why he fell but I thought he was in the range if Suns could draft him and then he falls way into the second round um a good Wing Defender so they just have a really deep really um Dynamic roster yep thanks for watching Bickley and marada click to see the latest Bickle blast and hit the button in the middle to subscribe to Arizona Sports

After San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul and New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges were introduced to their newest teams this week, Vince Marotta and guest host Kevin Zimmerman break down what each former Phoenix Suns player brings to their new organizations.

Video: Felisa Cárdenas and Jeremy Schnell/Arizona Sports
Photos: Christian Petersen, Cole Burston, Thearon W. Henderson, Mike Lawrie/Getty Images

Subscribe to the Arizona Sports daily newsletter: https://bit.ly/3QWcj1x
Read articles from Arizona Sports: https://arizonasports.com/
Download the Arizona Sports app: https://arizonasports.com/the-arizona-sports-98-7-fm-app/
Sign up for texts from Arizona Sports: https://arizonasports.com/text-alerts/
Listen live to Arizona Sports: https://arizonasports.com/listen-live/
Follow the team: https://bit.ly/3R0PIAJ

ARIZONA SPORTS SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArizonaSports/
X: https://x.com/azsports
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arizonasports987
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arizsports/

ARIZONA SPORTS PODCASTS: https://arizonasports.com/category/podcasts/