Chris Paul has been a name linked to the Los Angeles Lakers and, specifically, the idea of potentially
teaming up with LeBron James for many years. But when Paul was waived by the Golden State Warriors
and became an unrestricted free agent, his decision to sign with the San Antonio Spurs turned more than
a few heads.
Paul is considered by many to be one of the best NBA players without a championship ring, but instead
of going to join a top contender, he agreed to terms on a one-year deal with a team that went 22-60 last
season. During his introductory news conference with the Spurs, Paul addressed his decision to sign
with San Antonio, calling it an “honor and a privilege” to be able to play for head coach Gregg Popovich.
capable of competing for Gregg Popovich, head coach.
Above all, though, as ESPN’s Andrew Lopez noted, Paul made it clear how much he wanted to play and
contribute.
“My family is everything to me. My kids are back in L.A., and that’s where they’ll be spending the season,
my wife is here,” Paul remarked. “I could live close to home because I love basketball so much, but I’m
not happy if I’m not playing.
“I adore my family unconditionally. So, even though it will keep me away from my family, they are the
ones who know me the best and that all I want to do is play, so when we spotted this opportunity, we
seized it. Playing is all I want to do. And for that, I’m appreciative.
for them, and much more so, for being present.”
As he enters his 20th NBA season, Paul will have played for seven different teams throughout his time
with the Spurs. The 12-time NBA All-Star is coming off of his third-highest-ever single-season assist
average of 10.8 per game during his stint with the Phoenix Suns.
Though Paul has demonstrated time and time again that he is still capable of playing at a high level, in
his one and only season with the Warriors, he was utilized in a different way. The 39-year-old started
just 18 of 58 games and had the lowest average minutes per game (26.4). He made his first career
appearance off the bench, which undoubtedly contributed to his
undoubtedly contributed to his career-low 9.2 point and 6.8 assist averages.
Now, Paul ought to be able to take charge of a youthful Spurs squad and assist in setting up second-year
standout Victor Wembanyama for yet another incredible year. It would be fascinating to see if Paul’s
numbers return to what fans have been used to seeing during his storied NBA career if he is given the
keys to the offense and is given a starting role again.
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