NBA Insider Explains Chris Paul Clippers Reunion Rationale After Breaking The News

NBA Insider Explains Chris Paul Clippers Reunion Rationale After Breaking The News

Chris Paul (Image via ESPN on X)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

There aren’t many NBA players who have impacted as many franchises as positively as Chris Paul has. In 20 NBA seasons, the No. 4 pick in the 2005 NBA Draft has been a positive addition to many rosters across the league. He led the New Orleans Hornets, LA Clippers and the Houston Rockets to their most productive regular season campaigns in the first 14 seasons of his career before he declined in effectiveness.

Paul was traded away from Houston by then-GM Daryl Morey to the OKC Thunder in 2019, where many expected him to become a cog in the wheel incapable of stemming their decline despite trading away Russell Westbrook and Paul George. However, Paul proceeded to lead Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steven Adams and the OKC Thunder to another playoff appearance before earning a trade to the Phoenix Suns.

At the Suns, Paul was once again the powerhouse behind the Suns’ franchise record 64-win season in 2021-22 after making the NBA Finals with Devin Booker in his first season in Phoenix. But the team never broke through in his three seasons there, and his contract seemed to be too expensive to build around. Paul was traded to the Wizards in exchange for Bradley Beal in 2023 before being waived and going to the Warriors.

He then spent 2024-25 as a San Antonio Spurs player, leading Victor Wembanyama to a sophomore spurt as a scorer and offensive player. He has endeared himself to the community in San Antonio, but he wanted to play his final season at home in front of fans that have a permanent place in their hearts for him. The Clippers were the obvious choice for this as his signing was announced this morning by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Charania explained a bit of the rationale behind the Chris Paul linkup on a segment of NBA Today thus:

Chris Paul wanted to stay near his family in Los Angeles this upcoming season. And the Clippers needed another reserve guard. They needed someone at the point guard position coming off the bench. So it made it a perfect match for a reunion. Multiple suitors such as Milwaukee, Dallas, Charlotte, all expressed interest in Chris Paul the last few weeks. But now the ability to join a contender in LA, the shared history that these two sides have together – 5 All-Star appearances, 5 All-NBA selections, a franchise record for the Clippers.

Chris Paul will have a poignant farewell tour on the contending LA Clippers

There really weren’t many better spots that Paul could have landed that tick all of his boxes. He gets to be commemmorated by a fanbase that really stuck with him and who enjoyed their best days under his stewardship. He will be at home in front of family and playing out his farewell tour at a beloved home arena that is the best modern venue in the NBA.

Chris Paul
Chris Paul (Imagn)

On the court, Paul can be a starter or a reserve based on how Ty Lue sees the Clippers’ matchup. He can be the backup point guard for James Harden, or the starter alongside Harden playing as a shooting guard. He is known to be a great coach and thinker of the game, something that will only come in handy for the team needing more playoff luck.

The Clippers look like a well-rounded unit, having added Paul, Brook Lopez and John Collins in a slew of savvy moves in the trade and free agency market. Lawrence Frank has laid the groundwork, and it is now on Ty Lue and his players to deliver the team to the Promised Land.

Also Read: