'Competitive as ever': Phoenix Suns All-Star Chris Paul geared up for 18th NBA season

Another year, another offseason for Chris Paul, but this one was different.

“Probably one of the coolest summers because little Chris got to work out with me,” said Paul in talking about his teenage son.

The Phoenix Suns All-Star point guard appreciated that quality balance of family and basketball entering his 18th NBA season.

Paul had a shorter offseason in 2020 following the bubble and in 2021 after reaching the finals in his first year with Phoenix.

Last season, he averaged 32.9 minutes, the most since 2014-15, in 65 games, which was his lowest total since 2018-19.

Then Paul underperformed in the Western Conference semifinals against Dallas as he turned 37 during the series on May 6.

Suns coach Monty Williams has talked about wanting to better manage Paul’s minutes.

Then the games start.

“He’s competitive,” Suns guard Landry Shamet said about Paul. “He puts the work in, he works on his body. He takes care of his body. Eats right. Trains the right way. Takes it very serious as a pro from all aspects.”

Hard to rest someone with those qualities – and who produces. Paul averaged a double-double for the first time since 2015-16 with 14.7 points and NBA-best 10.8 assists.

“If he’s got the capacity to play that many minutes, I don’t see it as an issue,” Shamet continued. “In a perfect world, you want to save his legs, but he puts the work in and does what he has to do to be able to play that many minutes.”

Playing Paul gives Phoenix a better chance to win.

“They say the best ability is availability,” Suns wing Damion Lee said. “We need him when it matters most.”

Paul isn’t the only veteran point guard logging heavy minutes.

The 36-year-old Kyle Lowry averaged 33.9 minutes in 63 games last season, but Heat coach Erik Spoelstra breathes easier with him on his side.

“If we didn’t have him, there’d probably be a little more stress on me to try to figure out how to do all this,” Spoelstra said after a Heat practice.

Sounds like Williams talking about Paul’s importance in Phoenix.

Still, Paul is 37 – and has been injury prone. He missed 15 games last season after fracturing his right thumb against Houston before the All-Star break.

Read more: 5 takeaways from Suns final preseason game against Kings

Injuries happen, but there are ways to lighten one's load.

Williams is trying to address the latter by having Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson initiate offense to relieve some of Paul’s ball-handling duties, which can be taxing.

“You have to know time, score and situation," Williams said. "You more than likely have a great athlete in front of that knows your play and is trying to take a certain angle away from you. You have to know the play, you have to know the counter and you’re also thinking about who’s hot.”

Bridges and Johnson are learning how tough it is to do what Paul makes look easy.

"They get the ball for like two or three plays and they’re like, holy smokes, Chris does this every night, but I think it’s going to help us," Williams said.

Sounds like a plan, but putting the ball in Paul’s hands has been a winning one.

Moore: Monty Williams will need his best season for Phoenix Suns to rise

Paul is coming off his 11th All-NBA season as he made third team, but it ended with subpar efforts in the Mavericks series the Suns lost after being up, 2-0.

• GM 3 (L) – 12 points, seven turnovers.

• GM 4 (L) – 5 points, fouled out in 23 minutes.

• GM 5 (W) – 7 points, four turnovers.

• GM 6 (L) – 13 points, five fouls, five turnovers.

• GM 7 (L) – 10 points (one point in the first half with Phoenix down 30).

There were reports Paul played through a left quad injury in Game 7 and the Suns experienced a COVID outbreak during the series.

Assistant Bryan Gates missed Game 7 with the virus.

“I feel like that was so long ago,” Paul said. “Can’t live in the past. It is what it is.”

Another year, another season, but nothing's changed.

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Paul is back, has trained for the grind of it and is ready to keep playing at a high level.

"I'm still as competitive as ever," Paul said. "Excited about each and every game. It's a privilege to play in the first place and to be able to play as long as I have. Just always looking at the bigger picture. I've been in situations where you have a great regular season and not great playoffs. Every day, every game just building for something bigger than the wins in October, December."

Paul had 30 assists to just four turnovers in his three preseason games.

“What is it, 17, 18 years?" Lee said. "As people get older, they redefine their game. He’s one of the greats of this game and continues to redefine his game. His nutrition, everything from that front. Just continues to find ways to get better.”

 Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Chris Paul needed 'when it matters most' for Phoenix Suns