Chris Paul explains decision to sign with Spurs over other suitors

Chris Paul has been a name linked to the Los Angeles Lakers and, specifically, the idea of potentially teaming up with LeBron James for many years. But when Paul was waived by the Golden State Warriors and became an unrestricted free agent, his decision to sign with the San Antonio Spurs turned more than a few heads.

Paul is considered by many to be one of the best NBA players without a championship ring, but instead of going to join a top contender, he agreed to terms on a one-year deal with a team that went 22-60 last season. During his introductory news conference with the Spurs, Paul addressed his decision to sign with San Antonio, calling it an "honor and a privilege" to be able to play for head coach Gregg Popovich.

Most importantly, Paul made it known how badly he wanted the opportunity to play and contribute, as ESPN's Andrew Lopez highlighted.

"My family is everything. My wife is here, my kids are back in L.A., and that's where they will be during the season," Paul said. "And I love basketball so much that I could be close to home, but if I'm not playing, I'm not happy.

"And I love my family to death. So, when we saw this opportunity, even though it'll put me away from my family, my family knows me better than anybody and they know that I just want to play. I want to play more than anything. And that's why I'm grateful for them and more so grateful to be here."

Paul's tenure with the Spurs will mark the seventh franchise he's played with going into the 20th NBA season of his career. The 12-time NBA All-Star is three years removed from a season with the Phoenix Suns in which he averaged 10.8 assists per game, the third-highest in a single season.

However, while Paul has shown plenty of glimpses to prove he can still play at a high level, he was used differently during his lone season with the Warriors. The 39-year-old averaged his fewest minutes per game at 26.4 and started only 18 of 58 games. He came off the bench for the first of his entire career, which certainly played a role in his career-low averages of 9.2 points and 6.8 assists.

Now, Paul should have the opportunity to lead a young Spurs team and help put second-year star Victor Wembanyama in prime position to have another monstrous season. If Paul returns to a starting role and is given the keys to the offense, it'll be interesting to see if his numbers revert to those fans have been accustomed to witnessing throughout his illustrious NBA career.