1. Re-Signing Chris Paul to a Long-Term Deal

As witnessed last season and throughout the playoffs, the experiment of Chris Paul playing alongside James Harden was an unquestionable success. The duo led Houston to the best record in the NBA, was one win away from playing for the NBA Championship. Had Paul not been injured late in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, it’s possible that the Rockets defeat the Warriors to advance.

Obviously, the number one goal entering the offseason was re-signing CP3. With the agreement of four years $159.7 million, he became the second highest paid player in the NBA. Though there are critics questioning the commitment of that amount of money to an aging superstar, the success of the team last season left Morley with little choice.

Sure, Paul is 33 years old and has an extensive history of dealing with injuries throughout his career. With the last two years of his contract paying him over $40 million per season, it’s understandable why critics would balk at the idea of paying a 35-36-year-old maximum money.

However, this contract was necessary to keep the Rockets atop the Western Conference for the next two seasons. The formidable duo was unstoppable throughout the regular season and playoffs. Harden enjoyed the best season of his career last year, leading the league in scoring at 30.4 points per game, and averaged a career-high 28.6 points per game in the playoffs.

Turning 29 years old in August and entering his tenth NBA season, the time for Harden and the Houston Rockets to win is now. It’s not ideal for the franchise to commit big money to an aging CP3, and the last two years of his contract make him untradeable. If Harden and Paul can lead the team to a championship, then this deal will be viewed as a success. If CP3 experiences a decline, and the team regresses, then this contract could hurt the franchise financially until it expires in 2022.

Grade: A