When it comes to distributing the basketball, there are few better players in NBA history than 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul. And now, he will have the chance to work alongside one of the brightest young stars in all of basketball after making a rather surprising move on Sunday night.
Paul entered the day as a member of the Golden State Warriors. But instead of paying the $30 million guaranteed in his contract by its due date on Sunday, the team opted to waive him.
This gave Paul the pick of any team in basketball to consider as he looked for what team he wanted to play for in the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season.
Most assumed he may head to Los Angeles to play with longtime friend LeBron James. Instead, he shocked everyone by joining a team with a player who has already been compared to LeBron James early on in his career.
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Paul intends to sign with the San Antonio Spurs to play alongside Victor Wembanyama for legendary head coach Gregg Popovich.
Free agent star Chris Paul intends to sign with the San Antonio Spurs, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport. pic.twitter.com/drgZmqeO1b
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2024
One would assume that Paul would have wanted to play for an established contender, which the Spurs are certainly not yet considering their 22-60 record this past season.
However, the move is certainly an intriguing one when you consider how Paul has thrived alongside great big men in the past with Blake Griffin and De’Andre Jordan.
When you think about it, Paul in a Gregg Popovich-led system is about as perfect of a fit as you can possibly get. Especially at this point in his career where Paul is obviously not the player that he once was.
Paul also could be an excellent mentor for Spurs top draft pick Stephon Castle, who the team selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft last week.
Only time will tell whether Paul makes a real impact on this team at nearly 40 years of age. But on paper, he could be the missing veteran piece that this team needs to truly turn things around this coming season.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.