Even though the San Antonio Spurs were among the worst teams in the NBA, Victor Wembanyama’s performance during the regular season was reason enough to spark hope for the future. And if the front office does its job well, they can make his sophomore campaign even better by landing Chris Paul from the Golden State Warriors.
Paul first entered the NBA as the New Orleans Hornets’ fourth overall pick in the 2005 Draft. From there, the point guard made his presence felt by averaging 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. His performance during that campaign helped Paul win Rookie of the Year in 2006.
After playing the first six seasons of his career with New Orleans, Paul was acquired by the Los Angeles Clippers. Along with DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, the trio catapulted the Clips to new heights and consistent playoff appearances. By this time, Paul was in the prime of his career due to the numbers he put up and the impact he had on both ends of the court for Los Angeles.
From there, Paul bounced around the league, playing at an elite level for the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, and Golden State Warriors. The latter, though, ended in a frustrating run for the Point God after the team failed to get past the Play-In Tournament to land a spot in the postseason.
San Antonio Spurs Emerge as Landing Spot for Golden State Warriors’ Chris Paul
Paul’s disappointing run as a Warrior may come to an end as GSW’s front office is projected to move his $30 million contract in the offseason. According to Marc Stein via an article Andrew Peters wrote for Bleacher Report, the Spurs are being linked to the Point God:
“A potential team to watch, should Paul and the Warriors part ways, is San Antonio,” Stein wrote. “Among the early personnel rumbles in circulation: The Spurs could emerge as a Paul suitor if they decide to pursue some veteran know-how on a short-term contract basis to furnish presumptive Rookie of the Year winner Victor Wembanyama with more seasoned help in Year 2.”
Along with Paul, the Spurs are being linked to Trae Young in the offseason. Like the Point God, the Atlanta Hawks All-Star guard didn’t have much success during the regular season, leading fans to turn on him.
In the event San Antonio gets Paul, his influence and talent will pair well with Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama. As seen in his stint with MVP-favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in OKC, the All-Star guard can do a lot if he plays with a prospect like Wemby.
More must-reads: