NBA News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Mar 27, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) dribbles beside Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) in the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images David Richard-Imagn Images

Chris Paul’s Spurs Future in Doubt: Cavaliers a Possible Fit?

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Jared Koch | Last updated May 27, 2025 7:00 AM ET

With this summer's NBA free agency coming up this July slowly creeping into the picture, some interesting nuggets surrounding this year's class of players hitting the market are beginning to seep through the cracks.

Among that recent free agent chatter has surrounded Chris Paul and the San Antonio Spurs, with Marc Stein reporting that with the Spurs landing the number-two pick in this year's draft, it could lead to Paul, an unrestricted free agent, and San Antonio parting ways, and leaving the future Hall of Fame guard on the market to join another team who may covet his services.

"Anticipation is building that Chris Paul could be on the move again this offseason even though his time as a Spur as a mentor to Victor Wembanyama and a young team overall was an unabashed success," Stein wrote. "The reality now, though, is that San Antonio acquired De’Aaron Fox in February and just watched Stephon Castle assemble of a Rookie of the Year season. Since winning the May 12 draft lottery, San Antonio has likewise attempted to convey a desire to rival teams that it intends to keep the No. 2 overall pick in next month’s draft to select Rutgers’ Dylan Harper. With or without Harper in the Alamo City next season, it is difficult to see how there would be room in the Spurs’ backcourt next season."

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

So with that in mind, Paul could be on the verge of joining the eighth team of his storied NBA career, if he intends to play at 40 years old (which signs say that he will), which would also be his fourth team in four seasons.

Paul has proven he can still play at a high level, so it seems pretty certain the veteran guard will have suitors willing to give him a look, but it does beg the question: could the Cleveland Cavaliers be among that list of teams?

There are some interesting factors that could play into an ideal marriage between Cleveland and Paul. The Cavaliers were a 60-win team last season and proved to be a strong force in the Eastern Conference despite their playoff shortcomings, and could provide Paul one of the best chances at his first championship in some time.

Paul could also be a worthwhile veteran backup to place behind Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt, especially if the Cavaliers are unable to retain both or either of Ty Jerome or Sam Merrill across the course of this summer.

During his time in San Antonio last season, Paul maintained his role as a solid playmaking one–– averaging 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists a night in an impressive 82 games played across the regular season for the first time in his NBA career.

David Richard-Imagn Images

Paul may not offer the same type of size, youth, or athleticism that either Jerome or Merrill possess, but he does provide unmatched experience that could prove immensely valuable for this budding Cavaliers core, and can factor in as a reserve point guard for 15 to 20 minutes a night, still as one of the best passers in the entire NBA.

Of course, the salary would have to make sense for Paul from a financial perspective. The expectation would likely be that the 40-year-old guard would sign another short-term deal wherever he ends up, giving both him and the team that signs him ample flexibility on the books as soon as next offseason. However, for a cap-constrained team like Cleveland already over the second apron in the new NBA, the concept of the 12-time All-Star with the Cavaliers may inevitably be more fantasy than reality.

If the two sides can come to terms on a team-friendly, short-term deal, Paul could show out as a great rotational piece in Cleveland's backcourt for the season ahead, but maybe don't hold your breath on the fit to come to fruition.