New Report Reveals Surprise Team Interested In Chris Paul Amid Clippers Rumors

In the full 82 games that Paul played, he averaged 8.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 37.7% from three-point range in a more limited role. With Wembanyama out due to a blood clot and De'Aaron Fox sidelined with an injury late in the season in 2025, Paul still pushed through, taped hand and all, to play a full season at 39 years of age.

He is once again an unrestricted free agent, and while the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns are rumored to have the most interest in Paul, given his stance on wanting to be closer to home, two suitors inquired about signing him.

A new report by Marc Stein and The People's Insider revealed that an Eastern Conference team reached out to Paul this summer.

"As we've been writing for weeks now, Paul's preference is to play as close to his Los Angeles base as possible if he returns for a 21st NBA season. League sources say that both the Suns and the Clippers continue to weigh the prospect of reuniting with Paul," Stein wrote.

"Yet it remains unclear what happens if a deal with neither of those previous employers materializes for the 40-year-old. Paul has already rebuffed an approach from his home-state Charlotte Hornets earlier in free agency and likewise has interest from Milwaukee but has shown little inclination to this point to consider overtures from Eastern Conference teams," he continued.

The Hornets already have a plethora of guards on the roster, including LaMelo Ball, Colin Sexton, and Tre Mann, which makes their interest slightly confusing.

However, Paul thrived in a mentor role with the Spurs, so the Hornets could be of the same mindset. With Paul turning down the opportunity, it is more likely that he stays close to home with the Suns or Clippers, as reports have suggested.