Veteran NBA point guard Chris Paul has more experience than most NBA athletes will ever see. But according to league insider Josh Paredes, there was division internally among the Spurs that Paul’s leadership style would mesh well with their promising young core.
“In speaking to folks there, bringing in Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes, they obviously had their reasons why they wanted that veteran presence there,” said ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “There was some uncertainty I would say — I wouldn’t say it was concern — but there was some wonder from the Spurs. How were all these young guys gonna adapt to dealing with these two veterans who come in and — to put it kindly — Chris Paul has a big voice on teams that he’s on. With Victor [Wembanyama] leading the way, the acceptance of Chris Paul’s leadership technique…has gone very well in San Antonio, better than they thought, I am told.”
Chris Paul, a 12x All-Star, changed teams for the sixth time in his career this summer after agreeing to a one-year, $11 million contract with the Spurs. The 19-year veteran, who has yet to win a championship, will join Gregg Popovich, Victor Wembanyama, Jeremy Sochan, and others as the Spur try to take a step up in the West.
After a 14th-place finish last season, the San Antonio Spurs came into the summer with goals of improving the roster one step at a time. As a young team in the thick of a rebuild, they are actively searching for their core group of players and it seems they still have a long way to go.
At 39 years old, Chris Paul is no longer able to carry teams like he used to but he’s still a difference-maker on the court and there’s a good chance he’ll make a big impact on the court this season. In the 202324 campaign, with Stephen Curry and the Warriors, Paul averaged 9.2 points, 6.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on 44.1% shooting.
While clearly past his prime, Chris is still an elite playmaker and his court vision will create new opportunities for Victor Wembanyama and his young teammates. His arrival should help organize the offense and prevent Victor from going too long without the ball.
In the past, Paul has gotten a shady reputation due to his high competitiveness and the testimony of his rivals, which includes former referee Bill Sooner, who called him an “a**hole” earlier this year.
Clearly, Chris Paul has rubbed some people the wrong way but you won’t be hearing an apology out of him anytime soon. As a 12x All-Star, 11x All-NBA player, and 9x All-Defensive star, Chris doesn’t feel like he’s got anything left to prove and he’s not out to win an easy ring before it’s all said and done.
At this point in his career, Chris Paul just wants to make a difference where it matters and while the Spurs may not win a ton of games for a while, his work over the next 12 months there might help to shape their future for years to come. At the very least, it will make life easier for Victor Wembanyama and that’s really what it’s all about.
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