Odds Say Chris Paul Will Stay in Houston Despite Friction with James Harden

• Will Chris Paul be leaving the Houston Rockets this summer?
• There are reports of friction between Paul and Rockets star James Harden
• Houston GM Daryl Morey has gone on record saying that Paul won’t be traded

Will Chris Paul stay or will he go?

Depending on which report you believe, Paul is either on his way out the door and away from the Houston Rockets, or he’s untouchable.

Sportsbooks are putting the odds in favor of the former statement. The sportsbook has on offer a prop wager on which team Paul will be playing for at the start of the 2019-20 NBA season. The Rockets are heavy favorites.

Odds On Chris Paul’s Team for Game 1 of 2019-20 NBA Regular Season

Odds taken 06/20/19.

In 2017, the Rockets traded seven players and a first-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Clippers to acquire Paul.

Family Feud

On the one hand, Rockets GM Daryl Morey says that Paul is untouchable in terms of a trade. On the other hard, some published reports are citing the relationship between Paul and teammate James Harden, the 2018 NBA MVP, as unsalvageable.

Chris Paul still hasn't forgiven Harden for blowing up his kitchen pic.twitter.com/lm1LCx6iva

— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) June 18, 2019

Other stories make claims that Paul didn’t want Harden on the floor at the same time as him, and that the two stars went two months last season without speaking to each other.

Chris Paul denies Harden/Paul rumors on Instagram: “🤷🏾‍♂️ Damn! That’s news to me…” #Rockets pic.twitter.com/hlsUSs3YND

— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) June 18, 2019

The veteran Houston point guard quickly took to Instagram to refute these rumors, insisting that there was no substance to the speculation and that he didn’t want a trade out of Houston.

“Damn! That’s news to me,” Paul posted.

Do They All Have to Just Get Along?

Infighting among teammates isn’t something new, nor is it generally a factor in winning and losing.

Do you think Kobe and Shaq were going for lattes after their games in LA? That didn’t stop the Lakers from winning a bunch of titles.

Golden State Warriors teammates Draymond Green and Kevin Durant got into a heated argument during a game this season. Golden State still went to the NBA final for the fifth straight season.

St. Louis Blues teammates Zach Sanford and Robert Bortuzzo engaged in a fist fight during practice this season. The Blues won the Stanley Cup.

In 1974, the Oakland Athletics brawled in the visitors’ clubhouse prior to a game against Detroit. Then they went out and beat the Tigers 9-1. Later that year, the A’s won their third straight World Series.

Maybe the key for the Rockets is to get their stars to fight more often.

Is Houston Better off With Less Paul?

Not in the least. As Morey put it, trading Paul would be a step backwards in Houston’s pursuit of a title.

At the age of 34, it’s not in his best interests to go to another team and start the championship chase from Square 1.

A thoroughly exasperated Daryl Morey said Chris Paul and his reps have never asked to trade him and he will be on Rockets next season. Said he and Harden do not have issues with one another and that he has spoken to both often this off-season about free agency evaluations, plans.

— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) June 18, 2019

There’s a reason why oddsmakers have the Rockets the odds-favorites to still be Paul’s team next season.

That reason is because he isn’t leaving.

Pick: Houston Rockets (-350)