Chris Paul is technically back in that same spot so many stars have been in over the past few years which has resulted in a transition of teams. He’s a free agent at the end of this season with his contract expiring. He would have been a free agent this summer but as part of the agreement that sent him to the Clippers in a trade last fall, Paul opted into his last year on contract. The thought was that the Clippers would have to show him they could win before he would commit long-term.
HoopsWorld reports that signs point to what everyone assumed, that Paul’s plan is to re-sign.Paul aggressively recruited for the Clippers this offseason, contacting free agents and attempting to sell them on the situation. His pitch was convincing, with talk about the promising future in Los Angeles and opportunity to compete for a championship. Paul’s recruiting pitch was instrumental in the team signing Jamal Crawford among other free agents, according to sources close to the situation. Most players who are planning to leave a team have one foot out the door as free agency looms. Paul, on the other hand, was working the phones and planning face-to-face meetings with potential teammates.
Not only did Paul play a huge role in the Clippers’ pursuit of free agents, he spent the offseason working with several of Los Angeles’ prospects. Paul trained with Eric Bledsoe, Travis Leslie and Trey Tompkins in Los Angeles, pushing the three young players every day. Paul took Bledsoe, Leslie and Thompkins under his wing, pushing them to improve all aspects of their game and encouraging them as they continue their development. He also spent a considerable amount of time bonding with his teammates, hanging out with them in Los Angeles and flying several of them (including Leslie and Thompkins) to Las Vegas, where he hosted several parties. He also organized offseason workouts and many Clippers participated.
via Alex Kennedy’s post on Basketball | Latest updates on Sulia.
Now, Paul would likely do much of this even if he wasn’t sold. But from the beginning, he’s essentially said that he’s where he wants to be and he’s going to be there a long-time. He has Blake Griffin who’s only going to get better, and a team of veterans which is what every star wants around him.
But is this really how Paul spends the next four years of his career, into his 30’s? The Clippers, let’s be honest, here, are not winning a title. Even with a projected improvement from Griffin, unless he has shooting touch implanted through cybernetics, he’s not going to be all-world. DeAndre Jordan can improve and will still take years to be the kind of dominant defensive center you need.
The Clippers are going to be good. Paul would have to be the best, not one of, which he already is, but the best player in the NBA for them to win the title. Can he pull that off?
