Chris Paul isn’t sure how much longer he’ll keep playing, but he’s soaking up every moment along the way. Speaking with Underground Lounge, the Los Angeles Clippers veteran said he hasn’t set a retirement date and just wants to enjoy the ride while he still can.
“I don’t know yet. I ain’t putting a date on it,” said Paul. “But I do know I’m not going to take it for granted. I’m going to enjoy each moment, traveling to the different cities, and take it all in, ’cause this is wild.”
While LeBron James may be the champion of load management, Chris Paul isn’t far behind. He’s a 20-year NBA veteran and 12x All-Star who is still highly effective on the court. At 40 years old, Paul isn’t the guy he used to be but he has an opportunity on the Clippers that could give him a fitting end to his career. Paul is looking forward to the path ahead and playing alongside a stacked roster.
“I’ve always wanted to play with Zubac as a teammate,” Paul added. “You know what I’m saying? So just getting the chance to see him up close—it’s exciting. Because with any team you put together, you’re never really sure how it’s going to come together.”
The Clippers aren’t far removed from the ‘Lob City’ era, which defined the franchise for years leading up to Kawhi’s arrival. Led by Paul and his co-stars Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, the Clippers were a talented and very powerful team that challenged some of the top contenders in the league. They brought fame and prosperity to the franchise, only to watch it all collapse after years of failed playoff runs.
When Paul left for Houston in 2017, nobody thought he’d ever go back to the Clippers. But after short stints with the Rockets, Thunder, Suns, Warriors, and Spurs, he returned to Los Angeles this summer where he hopes to make his first-ever championship run.
As for his retirement plans, Paul hasn’t ruled anything out. While he hinted at potentially walking away earlier this year, he has seemingly taken it back in an effort to preserve his NBA future. Paul, like James, still enjoys the grind of training and working and he’s still good enough to make an impact on the court. For Chris Paul, that’s all he needs to stick around in the NBA and it’s why we could see him play well into his mid-40s.
The question is, will Paul’s resilience and commitment to the craft pay off with a title? On a Clippers team with Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Bradley Beal, he’s never had better odds of success. If Paul can just tap into his experience and natural talent, he could be the final piece the Clippers need to ascend to a higher level of contention.
Chris Paul knows he’s nearing the end, but he’s still writing his story one game at a time. He’s been through every stage of an NBA career, yet the passion that got him here hasn’t faded. If this truly is his last ride, Paul seems determined to make it count, and there would be no better ending than finally getting that championship that has eluded him for two decades.
