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Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns drives the ball up the court against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Chris Graythen/Getty Images via AFP.
Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns drives the ball up the court against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Chris Graythen/Getty Images via AFP.

The Phoenix Suns surprised many in the NBA when they announced their plan to release point guard Chris Paul. But is the future Hall of Famer returning on a cheaper deal? Let's take a look at the best NBA odds for Paul's next team to find out.

The NBA Finals just wrapped up, but I'm already itching to watch the offseason drama unfold. This summer should be a doozy, as many marquee players could be on the move before the new NBA roster construction rules start to kick in.

We received a glimpse of that on June 7 when several NBA reporters suggested the Phoenix Suns plan to release Paul this summer. However, the reporting around Paul is where things get interesting, as Shams Charania of The Athletic notes that the Suns are exploring cheaper ways to keep the point guard. Meanwhile, there will be several suitors for Paul if he's waived, according to Chris Haynes of TNT.

It remains to be seen where Paul will play next year, but our best sports betting apps do help give us an idea. DraftKings released odds on Paul's next team, with the Suns being priced as favorites to keep their point guard. The Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs appear to be the biggest suitors in the open market.

Let's take a look at this market through our top NBA betting sites and try to figure out what the best play might be for our Paul next team predictions.

Check out our NBA Finals odds and NBA Finals MVP odds.

Chris Paul's next team odds

Market states: Next regular-season minute played to be for which NBA team?

TeamOdds
Phoenix Suns-160
Los Angeles Lakers+300
Los Angeles Clippers+1000
Boston Celtics+1100
San Antonio Spurs+1100
Miami Heat+1200
Memphis Grizzlies+1500
Dallas Mavericks+1500
Philadelphia 76ers+1500
New Orleans Pelicans+2000
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Chris Paul's next team predictions

Lakers (+300)

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Similar to my Kyrie Irving next team predictions, I'm betting on the Lakers to land a point guard, even if I don't fully believe it. It's all about the number in a fluid market that will adjust after any further reporting. In fact, we originally suggested betting the Lakers when they were priced at +700 on June 8 and the number is now down to +300.

The Suns started at +1000 when this market was first released before quickly moving to +500 in a matter of hours. There isn't much value in betting on a reunion since Phoenix flipped to minus odds.

However, a Lakers team that opened at +400 to land Paul intrigues me.

A Lakers-Paul marriage makes a lot of sense. LeBron James and Paul are longtime friends, and Los Angeles desperately needs a primary ball-handler to take some pressure off James. Paul has also said he was upset when the late David Stern vetoed a trade that would have sent the point guard to the Lakers back in 2011.

After losing in the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers want to make one last push for a championship with James and Anthony Davis. Despite being 38 years old, Paul could provide enough offensive impact to help lift the Lakers over the hump. 

The 12-time All-Star could go back to Phoenix, but he'll need to take a pay cut, as he was set to earn about $31 million next season. He might be willing to entertain joining his sixth different team if the price and situation are right. And Greg Moore, a columnist for AZ Central, predicts the Lakers will be that team.

"Given these most likely scenarios, I think Paul is probably headed to the Lakers, which nearly makes me sick to type," Moore wrote. "I’d rather see him go anywhere else but to the Lakers."

We certainly won't be sick about cashing a +700 ticket (now valued at +300) , if that prophecy proves to be true.

Check out our next team predictions for LeBron James, Damian LillardKyrie IrvingJames HardenBradley BealRussell WestbrookD'Angelo Russell, and Dillon Brooks.

Here are our best NBA betting sites:

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* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.

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