The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly interested in signing the 40-year-old veteran point guard Chris Paul, per Shams Charania, ESPN’s NBA Insider. This rumor comes just days after the Bucks waived their star point guard, Damian Lillard, who is in rehab for his ACL injury, so presumably, they are looking at Paul to replace Lillard in their starting lineup while Kevin Porter Jr. either shifts to a shooting guard role or moves to the bench.
Chris Paul last played on the San Antonio Spurs, where he averaged 8.8 points, 7.4 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game, while averaging 28 minutes played across all 82 games in the season. He shot 42.7% from the field while sinking 37.7% of his shots from beyond the three-point line. His offensive output has been on a decline, but his playmaking and basketball IQ are still pivotal assets that the Bucks could use to their benefit.
Chris Paul’s Choices: Where Can The Veteran PG Land In Free Agency?
Following the news that Chris Paul will not be returning to the Spurs, multiple teams reportedly showed interest in Chris Paul. Among them were his two former teams, the Clippers and Suns. Of course, the Clippers are no longer the ‘Lob City’ roster that Paul played on, but he is still considered a legend in their front office and could consider joining forces with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden to potentially get his last shot at an NBA championship.
The Suns are also considered to be one of the frontrunners in signing Paul following his successful stint with them in 2021, which saw them reach the NBA Finals. Devin Booker is reportedly very fond of Paul and would likely welcome his return to the team. But the Celtics currently have nine guards on their roster, including key players like Jalen Green, Bradley Beal, and their new draft pick Koby Brea, who will be competing for minutes with Paul. This logjam of guards in Phoenix makes them an unlikely landing spot, in my opinion, for Paul, especially when he also wants to contend for a championship at this stage in his career.
For the Bucks, however, Paul seems to be the perfect fit on their starting team. They need a playmaker on their team to facilitate the likes of Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and their newest free agency acquisition, Myles Turner. Paul now needs to decide if he is going to join a championship-contending team like the Clippers and Bucks or if he wants to help a rebuilding team like the Suns. In my opinion, the most likely landing spot for him is the Clippers, as it is the perfect combination of a storybook ending for Paul and a championship-contending roster with his former teammate, Harden.
