The Los Angeles Clippers have had a great offseason thus far and have been building out a talented roster around superstars Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. Recently, the team agreed to a deal to reunite with veteran star point guard Chris Paul.
Paul is heading into what seems likely to be his final NBA season. If he does choose to retire, he’ll be doing so with a team that he used to be the franchise face of years back.
As for the deal that he signed, Paul received a one-year, $3.6 million contract from the Clippers.
Now, the question becomes, what kind of impact can the 40-year-old quarterback bring to the court for Los Angeles? That is a question that received a major update.
ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst provided some brutal honesty about Paul’s role. He has reported that there will be nights that Paul doesn’t play a single minute.
“From what I understand he’s not gonna have guaranteed playing time,” Windhorst said. “There are going to be nights where James Harden and their backup Kris Dunn get the minutes at point guard and Chris Paul might not play at all. He has understood that.”
During the 2024-25 NBA season as a veteran mentor for the San Antonio Spurs, Paul played in and started 82 games. He averaged 8.8 points per game to go along with 7.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals, while shooting 42.7 percent from the floor and 37.7 percent from the three-point line.
While he may not be the elite superstar that he once was, Paul can still make an impact. When he receives playing time for the Clippers, he will be able to play a key role.
Throughout his NBA career, Paul has always been the quarterback of the offense. He’s known as a playmaker first and a scorer second. Coming in with the second unit and running the offense will be his main role, especially creating shots for his teammates.
It will be interesting to see what Paul’s likely final NBA season has in store. Los Angeles looks like a potential contender in the Western Conference.
Regardless of how much he plays per game or how many games he may miss, Paul’s leadership and experience will be important for the Clippers’ ability to compete for an NBA Finals run.
