Chris Paul Final Chapter: Los Angeles or Retirement

Chris Paul Final Chapter: Los Angeles or Retirement

According to Marc Stein, Chris Paul would love to play close to his home in Los Angeles for the final season or seasons in his career. He said,

“Chris Paul would be another Mavericks target at $5.7 million, but there is a growing belief that Paul — after starting all 82 games last season in San Antonio as a 39-year-old newcomer to the Spurs — is determined to play closer to his home base in Los Angeles if he indeed comes back for a 21st season.”

Paul joining the Los Angeles Lakers nearly 15 years after a controversial trade and decision by the league office would be a fun and intriguing story. For a minimum contract, CP3 can be a valuable addition to the Lakers. However, the question about his skillset remains, given that the Lakers have three ball-handlers. All three though in Austin Reaves, LeBron James, and Luka Doncic are in the team’s starting lineup. Paul could potentially play a nice-sized role as the first guard off the bench.

What about The Other Teams in California?

Here is a fun fact: Paul has played for three teams in the Pacific Division, and he might return to one of them again. Paul spent six years playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, three years for the Phoenix Suns, and one year playing for the Golden State Warriors. All three fit his criteria of playing close to his home in Los Angeles. The only remaining teams in the Pacific are the Lakers and the Sacramento Kings.

Out of the five teams, the Suns and Kings are the ones that might need a point guard the most. The Kings are openly canvasing the market for a point guard after trading away De’Aaron Fox. Phoenix has had a point guard problem since CP3 left the organization. The Clippers have James Harden and it is hard to envision them pairing again, given how last time that ended.

The best chance in terms of competing for a title would be the Lakers and the Warriors. A problem though is that California is huge, and both Golden State and Sacramento play quite a distance from LA.

Does CP3 Have Anything Left in the Tank?

Last season, Paul played in all 82 games. It was only the second time in his career that he achieved the milestone, showing he is still healthy and determined to play. He was a great addition to the San Antonio Spurs and a veteran mentor for their young players. In 28 minutes of action, Paul averaged 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists on 42.7% shooting from the floor and 37.7% from behind the arc. There is no question that he can still contribute and play 15 to 25 minutes a night. The only question is whether he will find a team close to his home that will take him.